Political Scenarios

Even as the presidential election in May 2022 is far- off yet recent political development seems to indicate that there would be a four-cornered fight this coming presidential race. Print and broadcast media reports have it that Senator Panfilo Lacson and Senator Vic Sotto have already agreed to run for president and vice-president. Very recently we have read media reports that Vice-President Leni Robredo has seriously considered running for the presidency although no announcement has been made regarding her possible running mate. On the other hand, Senator Manny Pacquiao has long expressed his ambition to run for President with Senator Coco Pimentel as running mate under PDP-LABAN. On the other side of the coin, Mayor Sara Duterte of Davao City and Senator Bong Go are going around the country allegedly making grassroots consultations on their presidential and vice-presidential ambition. In the meantime, incumbent President Rodrigo R. Duterte has been quoted to have said that he is running for Vice-President without making any announcement as to his presidential bet. As things stand, the following possibilities are ripe as election results: Leni Robredo as President with Rodrigo Duterte as the Vice-President. ( Parenthetically, in that eventuality Robredo was quoted to have said that she will let Duterte experience what she experienced in her vice-presidency); Panfilo Lacson as President with Vic Sotto as Vice-President; Senator Manny Pacquiao with Coco Pimentel as the Vice-President; Sara Duterte as the President with her father as the Vice-President, or Sara Duterte with Senator Bong Go as the vice-president, (Then again what will prevent Senator Bong Go from abdicating the vice-presidency to give way to VP Duterte rising to the presidency, knowing as we do that Senator Bong Go is a very close associate of President Duterte- and especially in the face of reports that former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto del Rosario has threatened to file criminal charges against the President. These political scenarios which have titillated this writer’s mind may not be far from becoming realities. Your guess is as good as mine.

But let me end by saying that it is my hope as well, that how the Filipinos remember the late President Noynoy Aquino’s recent death will influence the way they will vote.

TRIVIA:

Through this column may express my most sincere and utmost condolence on my own behalf and that of my spouse Minda to the family of the late SK Cesar Moral of the Knights of Columbus, Mons. Jorge Barlin Assembly. He was an active and responsible member of the Assembly prior to his demise.

Congratulations and greetings to Bert delos Martirez and his lovely spouse on the occasion of their wedding anniversary today (July 21). Bert is the program host of the famous “kitchen” in Naga - the ALCALDE SA KUSINA.

Kudos to my fellow column writer Ernie Verdadero for his informative column last week in this paper where he ran the names of famous radio broadcasters in the past. I learned for the first time that my first cousin Noli K. Sta. Cruz was then in radio broadcasting. I also remember the erudite broadcaster/radio commentator Leon Palmiano Sr. (Sitong to his friends and close associates) who was my client in a libel case and who was acquitted in a decision rendered by then Naga City Municipal Trial Court Judge Meria O. Palma. Congrats and thanks Ernie for your informative column.

QUOTATION OF THE WEEK:

“IN A TIME OF DOMESTIC CRISIS, MEN OF GOODWILL AND GENEROSITY SHOULD BE ABLE TO UNITE REGARDLESS OF PARTY OR POLITICS” - John F. Kennedy

FOR OUR WORD OF LIFE:

“THEN I WILL GIVE YOU SHEPHERDS AFTER MY OWN HEART, WHO WILL LEAD YOU WITH KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING” -Jeremiah 3:15