I had the opportunity yesterday to visit the campaign headquarters of Bongbong Marcos at the invitation of my friend, Butch Disini. His last name will be familiar to those of you who are the same generation as me; boomers and martial law babies.
Butch’s father is Herminio Disini, founder of the Herdis Group and more infamous as the “broker” of Westinghouse for the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. Miniong, as he was called by the people who knew him, wrote a book, The Politics of Business, to make his story known to the public. In the book, he details what led to his fall from grace from Marcos, how he dismantled Herdis to pay down its debt, built another trading empire based in Switzerland and how the vultures at the PCGG and Cory Aquino government officials such as former Senator Rene Saguisag, hounded him, pressured witnesses and fabricated evidence in or to pin him down for the BNPP.
The Wikipedia entry for Partido Federal ng Pilipinas describes it as ”
Partido Federal ng Pilipinas was formed in early 2018 and was accredited by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on October 5 that year. PFP was formed by supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte, including the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Committee (MRRD-NECC), a group that supported his 2016 presidential campaign, as well as former members of PDP-Laban, Duterte’s party. Former DILG undersecretary and MRRD-NECC member Jesus “Jayvee” Hinlo Jr. was the party’s founding president. He was replaced by agrarian reform secretary John Castriciones when he decided to run for senator in the 2019 elections. PFP also requested Duterte to be their chairman.
Notable politicians who ran under PFP in 2019 include E. R. Ejercito, Reynaldo Umali, Joy Belmonte, and Donya Tesoro. In that year’s elections, 238 PFP members were elected to office, including six seats in the House of Representatives. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., who was elected governor of South Cotabato, became the party’s new president.
In September 2021, the party unanimously nominated Bongbong Marcos as their presidential candidate for 2022. Marcos joined the party on October 5 and became their chairman. He filed his candidacy the following day.
Gen. Thompson Lantion PNP (Ret) is the party’s Secretary-General and Membership Committee Head. He welcomed the new members Butch brought along with the story of how he came to know Butch as a young man. Lantion was a Philippine Constabulary Captain detailed to the Presidential Security Command where he was assigned as one of the close-in security aides of then President Marcos. Lantion is an Ilocano from Nueva Vizcaya. Apo Lakay was very much into golf during those years and he often played the nine-hole course at Malacanan Park with Miniong. Lantion recalled how he referred to Butch’s father as Tata Miniong and would go to him in December to solicit prizes for the PSC’s Christmas Party at Malacanan Park.
Why did BBM choose to run for President under the PFP and the not the KBL? According to Lantion, BBM met with Party President Rey Tamayo who is the incumbent Governor of South Cotabato in one of his provincial sorties. Marcos liked what he heard. Lantion, as one of the PFP’s five founders, was summoned by BBM to discuss how they could work together. As it turns out, BBM would be advancing the agenda of federalism if he wins on May 2022. The Secretary-General promised to send a copy of the draft federal parliamentary structure which is being worked on now by General Counsel George Briones.
The campaign headquarters occupies a whole building of six floors. It is very well-organized and is very similar to what you would see abroad for a politician who is running for national office. The sixth floor is reserved for the brain trust of the campaign. All visitors are required to register and undergo a swab test before entering the building where minimum health protocols continue to be in force. There is a flurry of activities in all the meeting rooms and you can see Liza Araneta Marcos all over the place as she moves from one room to another.
The proverbial question in the public mind now is if the Marcos-Duterte ticket will materialize. Yesterday, Sara Duterte withdrew her candidacy for Mayor of Davao City. Rumors flew thick about possible scenarios. A campaign official who didn’t want to be named said that it appears that the ticket is being finalized. We can’t be sure until a formal announcement is made.
What is sure is BBM is in the race, win or lose, Duterte or no Duterte. The Marcos’ could’ve chosen to live out their lives peacefully in a foreign country in exile after their ignominious departure from Malacanan in 1986. But they chose to return to face the charges against them and lead their constituents in their Ilocos Norte and Leyte bailiwicks. The 2022 election will determine the Filipino’s judgment of the Marcos’. As F. Sionil Jose said, it will be the people who will the be the judge. Not history.
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