Ina Budolera

POLITICAL CONVENIENCE IN ITS CLEAREST FORM

In 2022, these people warned the country against a Marcos presidency. They spoke about corruption, historical revisionism, accountability, and the dangers of returning the Marcoses to Malacañang.

Some campaigned directly against Bongbong Marcos and presented themselves as the alternative.

Years later, many of the same political figures are now willing to work with, join forces with, or accept positions under the very administration they once opposed.

Changing political positions is not automatically wrong. Circumstances change. Alliances change. Even people’s judgments can change. But when principles conveniently change the moment power, position, or political survival enters the picture, people have every right to ask whether those principles were ever principles at all.

This is the problem with Philippine politics: yesterday’s “threat to democracy” can become today’s political partner. Yesterday’s accusations can suddenly become irrelevant when cooperation becomes advantageous. And yesterday’s red lines somehow disappear when crossing them offers access to power.

If politicians want us to believe their convictions today, they should first explain what happened to the convictions they loudly asked us to believe yesterday.