Imee and the Impeachment

There’s been so much speculation why Rep. Imee Marcos failed to show up for the crucial impeachment vote on the House floor last week.  It now appears that she had left the country at her mother’s request (some say, instruction).  What could be the reason?

Media reports that a Malacanang deal with former First Lady Imelda Marcos promises to allow the former President a proper burial in the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio in exchange for Imee’s non-appearance.  If there is any truth to this, then PGMA must have been truly desperate.  No President under this Constitution (not even Marcos’ cousin, Fidel Ramos) dared to bequeath that posthumous honor to the Marcos family simply because it is political suicide.  The wounds dealt during the Marcos regime are too fresh and its victims too entrenched to take this sitting down.  For that reason alone, I disbelieve that such a deal was entered into.

I’ve heard a more believable reason — that the politician in Imelda Marcos rightly concedes that the image of Imee in Congress holding a view and defending a position held by the former President Cory Aquino is an image that the Filipino people are not ready to accept.  As Imee herself points out, her presence and “no” vote were useless.  But her presence and “no” vote places Cory Aquino in a predicament.  Will she applaud the daughter of the President who allegedly killed her husband?  Will she embrace any part of the Marcos regime even though they now support the same cause?  

Let’s put it another way — is anyone ready to see Imee locking arms with Cory? 

What would you think of that?

So probably, the truth is that Imee’s departure was welcomed by the opposition and she faces no retaliation from her allies in Congress.  At the same time, her participation in the mass action to oust PGMA is neither necessary or desired.  Politically, it’s a smart move — the smartest she can make under the circumstances.  And if her mother told her to do it, then she deserves some credit too.