Former President and now Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo shows no sign of slowing down as a politiko, touching bases in one week with the two opposing figureheads of political power under the Duterte administration.
On Wednesday (September 6), Arroyo was photographed with former Vice President Leni Robredo at a party in Alabang.
ALSO READ:
‘Wonderful night’: Here’s the tea behind Gloria Arroyo’s meeting with Robredo
The social gathering was organized by the son of Robredo’s best friend, who’s married to the daughter of Arroyo’s chief of staff.
In the same week, Arroyo gamely flashed the clenched fist sign in a photo taken with former President Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Bong Go and former Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
Go, who posted the photo on Facebook, said the meeting happened by chance.
“Nagkataong nagsama-sama sina Senador Bong Go, dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, Congresswoman at dating pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, former Senate President Vicente Tito Sotto at former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea,” he said in the caption of the photos.
“Naging masaya ang kwentuhan at nagbalik-tanaw sila sa mga panahong nagkasama sila sa pagtatrabaho sa gobyerno,” Go added.
An Iskooper said Arroyo dropped by the meeting after Sotto arrived.
“The meeting happened in San Juan. It was a friendly gathering between PRRD (Duterte’s initials) and Sotto. Then FPGMA (Arroyo’s initials) arrived,” the Iskooper said.
Political pundits have been watching Arroyo’s moves since she was unceremoniously demoted to Deputy Speaker from a more senior designation by her erstwhile protégé, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, last May.
The downgrade in Arroyo’s position led to the resignation of Vice President Sara Duterte as a member of Romualdez’s political party, Lakas-CMD, where she served as chairperson.
Robredo, meanwhile, lost to Romualdez’s cousin, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in the 2022 presidential race.
The thought of Arroyo, Robredo and Duterte joining forces might be unthinkable for now, but don’t rule it out just yet. In Philippine politics, there are no permanent allies or enemies, only permanent interests.
