“As far as I’m concerned, it’s a storm in a teacup,” declared President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in a rare admonition of the House of Representatives’ fixation to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte.

It’s probably the first time BBM openly contradicted the HoR led by his cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, prompting speculations that all is not well between the two.  

Alluding to the impeachment as a trivial matter blown out of proportion is the last thing Romualdez and the HoR wanted to hear from him. In doing so, BBM not only distanced himself from them but, in fact, disowned all part in what they worked hard for.

The President’s admonition comes amid increasing tensions arising from the desperate efforts to destroy the Vice President, particularly from the HoR. Just days after top Palace officials hinted at her possible arrest, BBM’s sudden turnaround caught everyone by surprise.

Vice President Inday’s warning to retaliate if she gets killed had been hyped not just by the mainstream media but even by the international press as a threat to assassinate BMM, the First Lady, and  Romualdez. It was a showcase of sensationalism at its worst.

The Vice President, who had her hands full fending off the threats to her life by an administration determined to get her at all costs, was instead portrayed as the aggressor. It was too much, and many people who had until then been contented to ride the fences knew it was time to make their voices heard.

The demolition job failed to scare the Vice President, who waged a furious counteroffensive. In the process, she showed she was indeed the heir apparent of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“We assure the Filipino people that even in times of crisis and without resources, we shall stand tall, strong, and resilient in our service to the Filipino people. We will not break,” declared a defiant Vice President Inday.

While the HoR remained focused on the hearings laying the foundation for the Vice President’s impeachment, the grumblings grew louder.

Disenchantment over BBM’s refusal to undergo a drug test, rising criminality, a worsening economy, absence of transparency and accountability, and the threat of war could no longer be swept under the rug. People have started to gather at EDSA, a stretch of highway synonymous with popular unrest.

In this context, BBM’s surprising turnaround raised the first hint that the Palace was now about to offer the olive branch. To show its sincerity, however, it has to part with a pound of flesh — the impeachment process.

That, of course, is easier said than done. Like the proverbial genie out of the bottle, there’s no turning back for the Speaker’s executioners. They have burned bridges with the Dutertes during their rampage that saw them trample on sacred institutions to get the job done.

For BBM now to casually dismiss everything they worked for is nothing short of an act of betrayal. Worse, the prospect of facing the wrath of the Vice President is increasing by the day.

This leads to the inevitable question: will BBM sacrifice his cousin on the altar of compromise to appease not just the Vice President but a nation that has not been won over despite billions in doleouts? Only succeeding events will tell.

It’s improbable, but not impossible.