Betrayal of Governance : A Reaction Paper

Betrayal as Governance: A Critical Analysis of Bongbong Marcos Jr.'s Political Ethos 

In Jose Alejandrino's polemical indictment “Bongbong's Record of Betrayals”, the former presidential consultant outlines a litany of perceived transgressions committed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. against his father's legacy, political allies, national sovereignty, and the Filipino people. While the essay is framed as a direct critique of Bongbong's leadership, its deeper resonance lies in its articulation of betrayal as a mode of governance—a systemic failure to uphold ethical responsibility, historical accountability, and democratic integrity. This essay offers a congruent and abstract analysis of Alejandrino's claims, situating them within the broader discourse of postcolonial statecraft, elite capture, and the performativity of reform. 

I. Betrayal as Postcolonial Inheritance 

Alejandrino's opening salvo—that Bongbong betrayed his father by refusing to return the Marcos gold—invokes a mythologized inheritance, one that conflates familial loyalty with national restitution. The alleged $40-43 billion in gold, long shrouded in speculation and legal ambiguity, becomes a symbolic artifact of unresolved historical trauma. In this framing, Bongbong's refusal to honor his father's purported last wish is not merely a personal failing but a rupture in the postcolonial promise of reparation. It reflects how dynastic politics in the Philippines often operate through selective memory and strategic forgetting, where legacies are curated for political expediency rather than moral coherence. 

This betrayal is compounded by Bongbong's alleged abandonment of allies like Inday Sara Duterte and Vic Rodriguez, suggesting a utilitarian approach to coalition-building. In a political landscape where loyalty is often transactional, Alejandrino's critique underscores the fragility of alliances built on convenience rather than shared vision. The erosion of trust within Bongbong's inner circle mirrors the broader disillusionment among constituents who once saw his presidency as a chance for national renewal. 

II. Sovereignty and the Specter of Empire 

Alejandrino's accusation that Bongbong surrendered national sovereignty—particularly through the expansion of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) bases and the ICC referral of former President Rodrigo Duterte—raises critical questions about the Philippines' geopolitical posture. The EDCA expansion, framed by critics as a capitulation to US strategic interests, is emblematic of the country's oscillation between autonomy and dependency. Bongbong's foreign policy, according to Alejandrino, lacks the assertiveness required to navigate a multipolar world, instead defaulting to Cold War-era alignments that risk entangling the Philippines in external conflicts, notably the Taiwan Strait tensions. 

This critique resonates with postcolonial theorists who argue that sovereignty in the Global South is often performative—asserted rhetorically but undermined structurally, economic dependencies, and diplomatic subservience. Alejandrino's framing of Bongbong's actions as betrayal reflects a yearning for a truly independent foreign policy, one that resists neocolonial entanglements and centers Filipino interests in global negotiations. 

III. The Ethics of Protection and the Oath of Office 

Central to Alejandrino's indictment is the claim that Bongbong violated his oath of office by failing to protect Filipinos from harm. This is most evident in the perceived risk posed by EDCA bases in the event of war with China. The ethical dimension of leadership—particularly the duty to safeguard citizens—becomes a litmus test for legitimacy. Alejandrino's argument suggests that Bongbong's decisions prioritize strategic alliances over civilian safety, thereby undermining the social contract between state and citizen. 

This betrayal is not merely geopolitical but existential. It reflects a governance model that externalizes risk while internalizing power, where the Filipino people become collateral in elite negotiations. The abstraction of "protection" in state rhetoric is thus revealed to be hollow, a performative gesture that masks structural vulnerabilities and policy incoherence. 

IV. Corruption and the Theater of Reform 

Perhaps the most damning aspect of Alejandrino's critique is Bongbong's alleged failure to curb corruption. The essay outlines specific recommendations—from replacing key officials to reforming the Armed Forces and police—that serve as a blueprint for ethical governance. Yet Alejandrino argues that Bongbong has instead engaged in "window-dressing," a Moro-Moro that simulates reform while preserving the status quo. 

This performativity of anti-corruption is a familiar trope in Philippine politics, where public declarations of integrity often coexist with systemic graft. Bongbong's silence on corruption during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2024, as noted by Alejandrino, reinforces the perception that reform is not a priority but a rhetorical device. The failure to act decisively against corrupt officials, including those within his Cabinet and Congress, suggests a governance model rooted in patronage rather than meritocracy. 

Alejandrino's call to remove the influence of Bongbong's wife, Liza Araneta-Marcos, from policy-making further underscores the entanglement of personal networks in public administration. In a democracy, unelected actors wielding disproportionate influence erode institutional credibility and blur the boundaries between public service and private interest. 

V. Economic Decline and the Crisis of Credibility 

The essay concludes with a sobering assessment of the Philippines' economic trajectory. Once second only to Singapore in the 1960s, the country now ranks near the bottom of ASEAN in GDP per capita, surpassing only Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Timor. This decline, according to Alejandrino, is a reflection of Bongbong's loss of credibility, exacerbated by rising poverty, food insecurity, and fiscal mismanagement. 

This economic regression is not merely statistical but symptomatic of deeper structural failures. It reflects a governance model that prioritizes spectacle over substance, where infrastructure projects are inherited rather than initiated, and where food security remains unaddressed despite Bongbong's tenure as Agriculture Secretary. The disconnect between government propaganda and lived realities erodes public trust and fuels democratic fatigue. 

VI. Toward a Politics of Accountability 

Alejandrino's essay, while polemical, offers a framework for reimagining governance in the Philippines. It calls for a politics of accountability—one that transcends dynastic loyalty, geopolitical subservience, and performative reform. The betrayal motif, while emotionally charged, serves as a heuristic for evaluating leadership through the lens of ethical responsibility, historical memory, and civic trust. 

In abstract terms, Bongbong's presidency can be read as a case study in democratic erosion, where institutional decay is masked by rhetorical unity and symbolic gestures. Alejandrino's critique invites us to interrogate the aesthetics of power—how betrayal is not always loud but often quiet, embedded in policy silences, strategic omissions, and deferred promises. 

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September 5, 2025

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