Posturing

Is Senator Lacson preparing for a presidential run in 2022?

A few weeks ago, Senator Panfilo Lacson came under fire for what his critics said was his political posturing for the 2022 presidential elections. His critics equated his regular pronouncements on certain issues as a preparation for the 2022 national election. To them, it is too early to be posturing for an election which is still three years away.

In a tweet, Ping Lacson denied that he was posturing. As far as he was concerned, he was just issuing his own take on some issues and simply being himself. Since that time, he seems to have quieted down a bit.

Except for the PhilHealth issue wherein he accused Health Secretary Francisco Duque of conflict of interest we have not heard much from the good senator. Was he posturing as his critics are saying? Is he preparing for another presidential run? If it was indeed posturing, what of it? Is that so wrong? As they say, the early bird catches the worm.

At this stage of the political ballgame, anything that other presidential contenders will say or do, could also be interpreted as posturing. To be fair with the senator, he has never denied his desire to be president in this turbulent country of ours. As we all know, he ran and lost in the 2004 presidential elections. He was also asked some time ago whether he was still harboring plans to run for president and he was candid enough to admit that he was—if there is any indication that he could win. He went on to say that the logistics in preparing for a presidential run is enormous and not easy. That is the reason why winnability is an important consideration in any decision for him to run. He has no trouble winning as a senator but the presidency is altogether a different story because as some would say, there is an element of destiny involved.

Over the years, Ping Lacson has always endeavored to reinvent and transform himself to become more of a statesman and perhaps erase his tough-guy reputation as a former police officer and as part of the dreaded MISG of Metrocom during the martial law years. To a large degree, he has succeeded. He is certainly a lot different from who he was when he first ventured into politics when he was forced to retire early as the PNP Chief of then-President Joseph Estrada. He has fashioned himself as an anti-corruption crusader trying to single-handedly do away with pork barrel in Congress. This is an endeavor that is bound to fail. He remains to be the only legislator to have consistently refused his share of congressional pork. His take on some important issues like the West Philippine Sea has also been responsible. In short, he seem to be trying to show how responsible national leaders should behave.

Still, Lacson has a lot of work to do. For one, he has to convince the public and the electorate that he is now an entirely transformed public servant than he was 15 years ago. When he ran for president in 2004, it was on a platform similar to President Duterte’s 2016 campaign, when he focused on peace and order. The public did not buy his tough law and order pitch in 2004 even as it went for President Duterte’s law and order program in 2016. It would seem that the public trusts President Duterte more than they did Senator Lacson.

It is now up to Ping Lacson to find the right answers. Today, the country is facing so many challenges. The West Philippine Sea issue, Charter Change, peace agreement with the Communists, the still-many unresolved issues in Mindanao and the ongoing drug war. Whether the electorate would want to elect a President in the mould of President Duterte is anybody’s guess.

Aside from Ping Lacson, there are others out there who can also make a run for the presidency like, Senators Sotto, Poe, Villar and Pacquiao. It is no secret that Senator Pacquiao wants to become president and everything that he is doing is in preparation for that day when he can run for president. And since he is over 40, and knows how to read and write, nothing stops him from running.

A governor, mayor or congressman can also suddenly emerge and be elected president. We know for instance that President Duterte is discouraging his daughter Davao city Mayor Sara Duterte from running for president but I really wonder whether he will really prevent his daughter from running if all his political leaders insist on it. At this juncture, it is a wide open field.

For Ping Lacson, it has always the issue of electability. In other words, it will be about his standing in the surveys. If he gets into a situation where the polls support a probable run, then he will run but if the voting public continues to be wary of him, then his presidential quest will simply remain a dream no matter how much he believes that he can make a better president than the others.

Yes, the presidential election is still three years away and our leaders should be focusing on the problems at hand instead of thinking of the next election. After all, we just had an election. It is also true that with all the problems that the country is experiencing, elections should be the last thing in peoples mind.

But others will say that anytime is a good time to think and talk elections because that is all our political leaders talk about.