All for the best

She is now running as an independent, and therefore can espouse any advocacy, issue any statement, without the fetters of the administration's official line.

The events of recent days pointed to this inevitable divide. Imee, Sara and many Filipinos just could not accept the official explanation that former President Rodrigo Duterte was seized and bundled up to be delivered to the alien judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

As a consequence, Imee did not attend the Alyansa campaign rally in her hometown in Tacloban. The next event in Trece Martires City in Cavite also saw the obvious absence of Imee Marcos.

Note that it was in Trece Martires that President Bongbong Marcos endorsed ten candidates for senator (there were only 10 faces plastered on stage, as Camille Villar was absent, too.)---but later corrected himself and said he was rooting for the Alyansa Eleven.

This reminds me of Ocean's Eleven, the fast-paced action film of George Clooney about high-stakes casino robbery. Bongbong's 11 may just fit the bill as Clooney's rogue characters.

It's all for the best that Imee has stood firm on what she believes.

She said in a statement:

"By repeatedly invoking executive privilege and the sub judice rule during the Senate's hearing last week, the government witnesses appeared to be hiding essential facts.

"Beyond their constant narrative that the Philippines was simply complying with its international commitments, a deliberate effort to obscure the truth only gave rise to ever greater suspicion that the Constitution may have been disregarded and our sovereignty diminished by the arrest of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

"As will be soon discussed in my preliminary findings, clearly there were actions taken by the administration which run counter to my ideals and principles."

It is true---Senator Imee cannot stand on the same platform with the rest of the Alyansa while deep inside her, she knows that an injustice had been committed in the highest levels of government and the nation could not do anything about it.

Imee was just being true to herself. She is actually displaying the rare qualities of a leader who adamantly stands on what he/she believes in.

"Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen."

The words were uttered in the Diet of Worms in 1521 by Martin Luther, who refused to recant his writings and beliefs, standing firm against the authority of the Catholic Church.

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