[Newsstand] Duterte’s choices for president
John Nery takes a deep dive into analyzing why the President simply just doesn’t endorse Bongbong Marcos as his successor and falls off the cliff doing so.
Plain and simple Duterte thinks BBM is weak because he didn’t have to work hard to get to where he is now. He inherited it. It may also be that he disdains BBM not being macho enough for his own taste. He did shed the most tears during Apo Lakay’s funeral in Makiki Heights. It may also have something to do with the fact that Malacanan didn’t override Landring Almendras when his father ran for Davao Del Sur’s newly established Congressional seat in 1967. Almendras didn’t support Vicente Duterte and he died the following year of a heart attack.
In the President’s mind, his political debt to the Marcos’ has been paid with the burial of Apo Lakay at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. No reason why he should endorse Marcos as President for 2022. But then again, who really knows what goes on inside the President’s head?
The usually politically astute Duterte didn’t count on Daughterte and his sons having a huge amount of resentment for SBG. Maybe it was too much that the assistant became Senator and was then on track to become at Vice-President. But the siblings should’ve seen that coming. Gatekeepers usually become very powerful because they control what reaches their principal’s ears and who gets in and who is left out.
It’s embarrassing that the administration party doesn’t have a complete ticket but that’s the consequence of Koko Pimentel blowing up PDP-Laban. Koko wanted payback for being ousted as Senate President. He deserved that because he put in his Yellow allies as Chair’s of key Senate committees. The Senate was busier investigating Duterte in the first half of his term than actually getting key legislation passed. But still, political debt was paid because Koko was part of the administration ticket in 2019 and was reelected.
At this point, it remains to be seen if the petition filed by PDP-Laban to reopen the filing of certificates of candidacy will prosper at the Comelec. If that is successful the next question is who’s the administration candidate? Will there be another political realignment?
Nery puts too much importance on the ICC drug war case. Assuming for the sake of argument that holds water, does he think that Sara will allow her father to be prosecuted? Given the nature of Marcos’ character, that’s not likely to happen under his watch as well. GMA isn’t likely to throw Duterte under the bus if she becomes Speaker of the House of Representatives again. Nery would want to see Duterte in detention at The Hague but that is not likely to happen unless Leni Robredo is President. We all know this is next to impossible.
Nery claims Isko would be a fit for Duterte as his anointed. Really? The oligarchs behind Isko are ant-Duterte. Is Nery that naive to think the President isn’t aware of this? Does Nery really think that Isko can be a good President in the time of the pandemic?
The natural fit for the President is the Lacson-Sotto tandem. Of course, the President will not endorse Tito Sen for Vice-President. But deals can be made. Marcos and Duterte supporters want the endorsement because it would guarantee a Marcos return to Malacanan. It may also happen that it becomes a Duterte-Marcos ticket if the Comelec approves the petition.
Unfortunately, all of us will have to wait for events to play out. You know how Rodrigo Duterte always plays to win. The game isn’t over yet for him even if some say that it is.
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