The Philippine politics has always been a dirty political game. Anyone who steps into the arena will quickly realize that survival depends on compromise, negotiation, and maybe, to even break your own principle to adapt to existing power. These are the core characteristics of being elected.

This is especially true for senators who are constantly balancing principles, public expectations, and political survival in a system dominated by patronage and traditional power networks. Recently, the actions of high-profile senators that are mostly youth-chosen, have created discussions on whether they are simply employing tactical maneuvers to achieve their long-term plans for the Filipinos, or whether they have embraced the same trapo politics they once criticized.

Last 2022, Vice President Sara Duterte ran as part of the UniTeam alliance with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., positioning herself as a partner within a coalition that promised continuity and governance. At the time, she publicly dismissed the idea of pursuing her own presidency, telling reporters in 2021, “I am not running for president,” as reported by GMA News.

However, on February 18, 2026, she announced her intention to run for the 2028 presidency, announcing the decision as a necessary response during investigation of her corruption and mismanagement under the current administration. She also apologized to the Filipino people for supporting Marcos in 2022, which, I must say, sounds like strategic repositioning, rather than a principled acknowledgment.

Nothing will be funnier than watching how these public “servants” get even, or fight each other, instead of working together to serve the Filipino people. It's actually ironic how her confidential funds issue, impeachment case, shamelessly threatening someone's life online— the same timeline she promised unity by the way— still made her confident to show her face publicly and announce presidential candidacy. We have mountains of problems that the government should be working on, but here we are. Where every season of episodes has a sequel. This shift from coalition and a change of plans—weighting her father's situation at ICC, gives the impression that her early candidacy and public framing may be more about consolidating power and securing voter sympathy than about delivering genuine reform.

Senator Bam Aquino, who was once praised as a reformist senator, is now in a similar position due to his recent remarks. Having a well-known surname, Aquino was able to gain support, especially from the youth, because of his advocacy for transparency, education reform, and youth empowerment, where he always criticized trapo politics. Yet, his remarks on handling extrajudicial killing (EJK) cases shows a privileged point of view. He suggested that these cases would be better addressed by domestic courts, rather than the International Criminal Court. A statement that some can be interpreted as an attempt to appeal to broader voter segments, including supporters of Duterte-era policies. Senator Antonio Trillanes IV publicly criticized Aquino for this stance, calling it “insensitive” and suggesting that it undermines the principle-based approach that originally defined his political brand. Understanding the game of politics, these moves may have a strategic impact in electoral terms, but they blur the line between tactics and compromise of principles.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, on the other hand, has maintained a more consistent public stance on accountability and justice, particularly regarding cooperation with international bodies like the International Criminal Court (ICC). Hontiveros has always emphasized the importance of pursuing justice for victims of human rights violations, even as she admits the practical necessity of legislative coalition-building. While she has expressed openness to collaborating with other political blocs to advance reform agendas, she has resisted joining groups aligned with Duterte, positioning herself as a principled opposition figure. But Marcos is not an exception. Her moves can easily shift and be questioned when she openly admits that Vice President Sara Duterte is a strong candidate, and considers joining President Marcos in order to put up a fight against Duterte.

Politics is a dirty game, especially when you choose to keep your principles, but with limited legislative effectiveness. Compromise may secure political wins, but they also put the public trust at risk.

The question facing voters right now, especially the youth who once rallied behind these leaders for their promise of reform, is whether these senators are genuinely engaging in pragmatic politics or whether they have slowly surrendered to the very tactics they once opposed.

For the Filipinos invested in change, the challenge now is to distinguish how these politicians use smart tactics to get their hands dirty, and change the rules of the game, or watch them get mud on their hands and be one of the masters of dirty politics. Political survival is inseparable from interaction with rigged systems, but that engagement does not absolve leaders from accountability to the principles that earned them public trust in the first place.

The Frontman