So, the Supreme Court has said Mrs. Mary Grace Natividad Kelly Poe Llamanzares is qualified to run for president.
The decision comes despite the reservations of people who had argued against her qualifications on the basis of residency and citizenship issues. This, despite the fact that the letter of the Constitution says she is not qualified.
But the gods of Mount Olympus on Padre Faura have spoken—it’s final. It’s the rule of law, whether we like it or not, and we have to respect it.
I believe the race for the presidency won’t change even with this Supreme Court decision. Many of us who believed that the Supreme Court as the final interpreter and arbiter of the fundamental law of the law may argue endlessly that she should not be qualified. But as I said, the justices have spoken, and that’s it.
As I said before, the decision on the Poe case will be the defining moment of the Sereno Court. It will show us what kind of justices we have.
Still, with this decision on Poe, the Constitution now becomes a mere scrap of paper. It tells us that majority of the justices can now interpret the Constitution liberally, according to their biases and their emotions.
To me as, a lawyer and a journalist for the past 66 years, we have come to a point when justices of the Supreme Court can bow to pressure.
But while I am dismayed at the decision of the Supreme Court to declare Mrs. Llamanzares qualified to run for president, that’s not the end for those who believe otherwise. They can always file a motion for reconsideration.
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We now come to the question: Can Mrs. Llamanzares get elected as president?
Yes, she is popular and carries the name Poe, reminding the people that she is the daughter of the movie icon Fernando Poe Jr. She says she has a heart for the poor. But what FPJ legacy is she talking about when her late father appeared only in the movies?
And since our electorate cannot differentiate between the real and the reel, Mrs. Llamanzares is now as popular as she is.
Let’s see if the SC decision makes a difference come election day. True, Mrs. Llamanzares is now the frontrunner, but surveys are just that —surveys.
I have witnessed elections from the time of Apo Pediong Quirino. Surveys have been proven wrong on Election Day.
What matters most in a presidential election is how a candidate can resonate with the poor. The masses constitute the bulk of the electorate.
I’m not saying here that Mrs. Llamanzares cannot win. But the elections will be a tight race.
For instance, there’s Vice President Jejomar Binay, who has a well-funded grassroots political machinery that can deliver his votes. Note that Binay’s poll survey ratings have not gone below 20 percent, his constituency base.
What this country needs is somebody who can hit the ground running once elected. We don’t need a neophyte. The presidency is not an on-the-job training. Considering all the problems of the country, we cannot afford that.
Governance is multi-faceted and should be tackled by somebody who has experience. I repeat, I have nothing against Mrs. Llamanzares, but I fear for the nation if it is to be headed by an inexperienced President.
So is Poe’s journey to Malacañang sure? Of course not. Binay, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Du-Dirty” and administration candidate Manuel Roxas II may have to work harder in their campaign.
As they say, “It ain’t over until the fat lady sings.”
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With this development, it’s the race for vice president that bears watching.
With the disqualification cases behind Mrs. Llamanzares, is Senator Chiz Escudero assured of winning? Not if one looks at the poll ratings of Senator Bongbong Marcos narrowing the gap.
Bongbong Marcos not only has the Solid North, some provinces of Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog, Eastern Visayas. He can also tap the Ilocanos in Mindanao.
Chiz cannot take things for granted. The name “Marcos” is still in the hearts and minds of people, no matter how some demonize it.
Note that even administration vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo says that it’s not Chiz who is the “man to beat” but Bongbong Marcos. Those are prophetic words.
With the ratings of Alan Peter Cayetano, teammate of “Du-Dirty,” falling fast, the Davao mayor may even junk Cayetano in favor of Bongbong Marcos. The Davao mayor had wanted the young Marcos to be his vice presidential candidate, until Cayetano started sticking to him like a leech.
The 2016 elections are really getting more interesting. With Mrs. Llamanzares getting qualified for the presidency, it’s now a fight among four—Mrs. Llamanzares, Binay, “Du-Dirty” and administration candidate Mar Roxas. Note that I’m not ruling our Mar, BS Aquino’s anointed one. Considering the fact that BS Aquino may well land in jail when he steps down in June 30, and lose his immunity, BS Aquino will do anything, even cheat. That’s for certain as day follows night.
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There are reports that former Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado has been seen playing at Royce Gambling Casino at Clark, at cockpits, and during the rally of administration candidates in Makati, wearing that yellow shirt that distinguishes those who are for and against BS Aquino.
The Senate should investigate this.
Mercado makes a mockery of the Witness Protection Program which requires that a vital witnesses should be confined in a safehouse for that purpose.
It seems, however, that Mercado is above the law, gallivanting with the bodyguards provided him by the Department of Justice.
The new secretary of justice has a lot of explaining to do to the Senate.
