Institutional instability and economic collateral damage

PHILIPPINES - In Brief 02 Jun 2026 by Diwa Guinigundo

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Two weeks ago, we argued that if something in the Philippine political system must finally fall into the ravine, it should not be constitutional accountability. It should be the culture of impunity that has long weakened Philippine democracy. Yet recent developments in the Senate suggest the opposite may now be happening. What appear to be isolated incidents as the impeachment battle against Vice President Sara Duterte, the sudden reconfiguration of Senate leadership, the rumored migration of some majority senators into the minority, the dramatic return of Ronald dela Rosa amid continuing scrutiny from the International Criminal Court, and the confusion surrounding the alleged “attack” on the Senate complex are not exactly disconnected episodes. They are converging signals of institutional instability. More troubling was the recent refusal of the majority senators to attend a Senate session altogether, effectively paralyzing proceedings at a time of heightened national uncertainty. Their collective absence was not viewed merely as procedural dissent. It was widely interpreted as a calculated political signal, an assertion that numbers, alliances, and tactical withdrawal now matter more than institutional continuity and legislative responsibility. The optics became even more damaging when some of these same political forces moved to openly support a fellow senator facing serious allegations of graft and plunder. Whether or not guilt is eventually established by the courts is not the immediate issue. Public office demands not only legal defense but also institutional prudence, ethical sensitivity, and respect for public perception. Instead, what the public witnessed was ...