The Scuffle as Archetypal Collision: Power, Truth, and the Theater of the Polis
The Scuffle as Archetypal Collision: Power, Truth, and the Theater of the Polis
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™
June 4, 2026
The incident—Senator Robin Padilla physically clashing with DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla outside the Senate halls, one escorting witnesses into a Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on flood control corruption, the other interposing executive authority to forestall it—transcends mere political theater. It is a microcosmic enactment of perennial philosophical tensions: the agon between *aletheia* (unconcealed truth) and *kratos* (sovereign power); the fragile boundary between legislative inquiry and executive prerogative; and the eternal human drama of *thumos* (spirited assertion) confronting institutional restraint.
In esoteric terms, this is a *coniunctio oppositorum*—an alchemical clash of opposites—within the body politic. Padilla, the senator-actor turned populist guardian of disclosure, embodies the *eros* of revelation: the drive to drag hidden corruption (the "flooded gates of hell," as hearings have been dramatized) into the light of public scrutiny. Remulla, as Interior Secretary, channels the *logos* of ordered governance: preventing what the executive views as a procedurally illegitimate or destabilizing spectacle amid a contested Senate leadership reorganization. Their physical entanglement is not mere vulgarity but a somatic revelation of deeper fault lines in the Philippine republic's soul.
Ontological Dimensions: Being, Appearance, and Corruption
Drawing from Heidegger, the flood control scandal itself represents *Seinsvergessenheit*—forgetfulness of Being. Trillions in public funds ostensibly for infrastructure against a perennial existential threat (typhoons and flooding, the chaotic *physis* of the archipelago) allegedly diverted into spectral projects, kickbacks, and "ghost works." This is corruption as ontological decay: the *polis* forgets its duty to shelter Dasein (human existence) and instead instrumentalizes it for private *techne*—the machinations of patronage.
Padilla's insistence on escorting the 18 ex-Marines (alleged witnesses to anomalies) is an act of *poiesis*: bringing-forth truth from concealment. Remulla's blockade enacts the executive's counter-claim to *phronesis*—practical wisdom that not all disclosures serve the common good, especially in a fractured Senate where quorum, legitimacy, and parallel power centers (the Cayetano-led bloc versus the new Gatchalian/Tulfo alignment) are contested. The scuffle literalizes Plato's *Republic*: the guardians (executive) restraining what they see as destabilizing eros, versus the philosophers (or their proxies in oversight) demanding the ascent from the cave.
Political Philosophy: Separation of Powers as Dialectic
In Lockean or Montesquieuian terms, this is the healthy friction of separated powers devolving into raw *stasis* (civil strife). The Senate's Blue Ribbon Committee claims investigative supremacy in pursuit of accountability (*res publica*). The Executive, through DILG, asserts operational control over personnel, order, and perhaps protective custody or witness management. When institutions blur—amid leadership coups, minority bloc defiance, and high-stakes probes—the body politic convulses.
Esoterically, this echoes Heraclitus: "War is father of all." Conflict generates becoming. The physical push-and-shove is *polemos* manifesting in flesh, revealing that Philippine democracy is not a static liberal order but a living agonistic democracy (Ã la Mouffe or Schmitt). Friend-enemy distinctions—between reformist oversight and perceived obstruction, between "people's will" populism and technocratic restraint—define the political. Padilla's action channels Schmittian sovereignty ("he who decides on the exception"), framing the hearing as existential necessity against systemic rot. Remulla's counters as Hobbesian Leviathan logic: preventing anarchy in the halls of state.
Hermeneutics of Power and Spectacle
From a Foucauldian lens, the Senate is a theater of power/knowledge. "Shocking images" circulate virally not merely as news but as *episteme*—shaping public perception of legitimacy. The visual of two prominent figures grappling humanizes (or degrades) the abstract: power is *embodied*, thumotic, male-coded assertion. In a culture steeped in *utang na loob*, patronage, and cinematic dramaturgy (Padilla's actor background amplifies this), the scuffle becomes mythic: the action star senator versus the administrator, both sons of Cavite political clans with intertwined histories.
Academically, this instantiates Habermas's "colonization of the lifeworld" by systemic imperatives, or Arendt's warning on the banality of evil scaled to corruption: not dramatic villainy but bureaucratic deflection ("doing my job," "maintaining order"). Yet Arendt would also see *natality*—new possibility—in the witnesses' potential testimony, the disruptive act of appearance.
Deeper Esoteric Resonance
In Jungian terms, this is the *shadow* of the republic erupting: the unintegrated aggression of a patronage democracy confronting its ideals of transparency. The flood itself is archetypal—primordial waters of chaos (*Nun* in Egyptian, or the deluge myths) demanding *ma'at* (order/justice). Corruption diverts the dams meant to contain it.
Ultimately, the premise reveals the tragic structure of politics: no pure *telos* of truth or order, only perpetual negotiation. Padilla's escort and Remulla's blockade are both "doing their job" within rival hermeneutics. The real corruption lies not in one man or faction but in a system where accountability probes become weapons in power struggles, and physicality in the Senate signals institutional stress fractures.
This moment invites *theoria*: contemplation not for partisan victory, but for diagnosing the Philippine *politeia*'s deeper *hamartia*—the hubris of assuming institutions can transcend human *thumos*, eros, and the will to power. True reform demands integrating these shadows, lest the floods—literal and metaphorical—overwhelm the republic.
---
*** credit to the owners of the photo & articles otherwise cited
If you like my any of my concept research, writing explorations, art works and/or simple writings please support me by sending me a coffee treat at my paypal amielgeraldroldan.paypal.me or GXI 09053027965. Much appreciate and thank you in advance.
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™' s connection to the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) serves as a defining pillar of his professional journey, most recently celebrated through the launch of the ACC Global Alumni Network.As a 2003 Starr Foundation Grantee, Roldan participated in a transformative ten-month fellowship in the United States. This opportunity allowed him to observe contemporary art movements, engage with an international community of artists and curators, and develop a new body of work that bridges local and global perspectives.Featured Work: Bridges Beyond Borders His featured work, Bridges Beyond Borders: ACC's Global Cultural Collaboration, has been chosen as the visual identity for the newly launched ACC Global Alumni Network.Symbol of Connection: The piece represents a private collaborative space designed to unite over 6,000 ACC alumni across various disciplines and regions.Artistic Vision: The work embodies the ACC's core mission of advancing international dialogue and cultural exchange to foster a more harmonious world.Legacy of Excellence: By serving as the face of this initiative, Roldan's art highlights the enduring impact of the ACC fellowship on his career and his role in the global artistic community.Just featured at https://www.pressenza.com/2026/01/the-asian-cultural-council-global-alumni-network-amiel-gerald-a-roldan/
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™ curatorial writing practice exemplifies this path: transforming grief into infrastructure, evidence into agency, and memory into resistance. As the Philippines enters a new economic decade, such work is not peripheral—it is foundational.
I'm trying to complement my writings with helpful inputs and prompts. Bear with me as I am treating this blog as repositories and drafts.
Please comment and tag if you like my compilations visit www.amielroldan.blogspot.com or www.amielroldan.wordpress.com
and comments at
amiel_roldan@outlook.com
amielgeraldroldan@gmail.com
A multidisciplinary Filipino artist, poet, researcher, and cultural worker whose practice spans painting, printmaking, photography, installation, and writing. He is deeply rooted in cultural memory, postcolonial critique, and in bridging creative practice with scholarly infrastructure—building counter-archives, annotating speculative poetry like Southeast Asian manuscripts, and fostering regional solidarity through ethical art collaboration.
Recent show at ILOMOCA
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16qUTDdEMD
https://www.linkedin.com/safety/go?messageThreadUrn=urn%3Ali%3AmessageThreadUrn%3A&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pressenza.com%2F2025%2F05%2Fcultural-workers-not-creative-ilomoca-may-16-2025%2F&trk=flagship-messaging-android
Asian Cultural Council Alumni Global Networkhttps://alumni.asianculturalcouncil.org/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAPlR6NjbGNrA-VG_2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHoy6hXUptbaQi5LdFAHcNWqhwblxYv_wRDZyf06-O7Yjv73hEGOOlphX0cPZ_aem_sK6989WBcpBEFLsQqr0kdg
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™ started Independent Curatorial Manila™ as a nonprofit philanthropy while working for institutions simultaneously early on.
The Independent Curatorial Manila™ or ICM™ is a curatorial services and guide for emerging artists in the Philippines. It is an independent/voluntary services entity and aims to remain so. Selection is through proposal and a prerogative temporarily. Contact above for inquiries.
LanguageLoginCreate connection,Value conversation.For youWho we areMeet the teamICM cultureHow to applyStoriesContact usLanguageManage your cookie preferencesPrivacy & Cookie PoliciesTerms of useGlobal code of conduct & ethicsAll rights reserved Amiel Gerald Roldan® 2026***Disclaimer:This work is my original writing unless otherwise cited; any errors or omissions are my responsibility.The views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of any organization or institution.Furthermore, the commentary reflects my personal interpretation of publicly available data and is offered as fair comment on matters of public interest. It does not allege criminal liability or wrongdoing by any individual.
*** credit to the owners of the photo & articles otherwise cited
Comments