Let us take a look at the political events of the past weeks, from the time Manuel Araneta Roxas II was “anointed” by the King of Daang Matuwid to be his chosen successor, subject to the nihil obstat of some 50 million registered voters of the benighted kingdom, otherwise known as a republic.
The search for the successor-in-waiting to the successor-to-be, or simply put, a vice-presidential team-mate of the declared or soon-to-declare candidates has heated up. Let us summarize their options:
For Mar Roxas, his options:
• Grace Poe Llamanzares, a.k.a. Grace Poe. State of courtship: No, but with no finality, according to Mar. According to Grace, “look for someone else. I don’t want to keep you waiting…forever”.
• Rodrigo Roa Duterte, a.k.a. Digong in Davao; Rody in Luzon; but pronounced “Rudy”, kay Bisaya gid. State of courtship: “Dili ko” (No).
• Vilma Santos-Recto, a.k.a. Ate Vi. “Ala eh … hindi” (No). “I might run for Congress instead”.
• Janette Loreto Garin. Para daw “Mar-Garin”, coming from Mar himself. Corny.
• Alan Peter Cayetano, a.k.a., Alan, best friend nevermore (BFN) of VP Jojo. State of courtship: Pwede rin sana, pero mukhang hindi papayag si PNoy.
• Leni Gerona vda. de Robredo, a.k.a. Leni or Len. State of courtship: The daughters say “No”. Leni says she is not prepared. But the LP, of which she is a member in best standing, and PNoy would likely prevail.
• Benigno Simeon Aquino III, a.k.a. PNoy, mismo! Suggested by Cavite’s Elpidio Barzaga, after Teddy Boy Locsin mentioned the possibility in his Teditorial over Tina Muñoz Palma’s The World Tonight, which in turn was hatched over a Thursday lunch two weeks ago by no less than Isabela’s Rodito Albano, seated beside Teddyboy. Status: Coloma, Lacierda, and even Evardone said, “PNoy will retire after June 30, 2016”. Bright idea trashed.
So I See’s fearless forecast: Mar-Len for 2016. Or, pwede rin, Mar–Kris.
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For Jojo Binay, his options:
• Mar Roxas, with an immediate retort: “Are you kidding?”
• Grace Poe, a quick and curt, “No way!”
• Digong Duterte: “I am not running”.
• Manila Mayor and former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, a.k.a. Erap: “Sorry, pare, re-election lang ako as Mayor of Manila”.
• Darlene Berberabe, Jojo’s chosen Pag-ibig CEO: “Ala’y huwag po” (No).
• Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., a.k.a. Bongbong. Status: Wala namang impolite reactions, but does not seem excited about the public offer.
• Last heard, Joselito Atienza, Buhay party-list representative and former Manila mayor, a.k.a. Lito Atienza, was requested to team up with Binay. Jojo and Lito. Makati and Manila, say mo?
Fearless forecast: Wala. So I See is clueless.
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For Davao City’s Duterte:
• Grace Poe and he met during the last days of January this year, in a common friend’s house here in Metro Manila. She asked him if he was running for president. He said “No”, his usual response.
• Grace, for want of a better descriptive, “graciously” talked about the possibility of a team-up, if Digong should decide to run for president.
• Months later, when the June surveys showed she was Numero Uno in the ratings, beating Binay and Duterte who was third, Grace y su Queso hinted at the big time, and the common friend asked Digong if he could be Numero Dos to Numero Uno instead. End of conversation.
• Bongbong Marcos: A Nacionalista Party stalwart, Bongbong has been to Davao quite often these weeks, the last being Thursday the 20th.
• Alan Cayetano: secretary-general of the NP. Alan was also in Davao last Monday the 17th, and spoke glowingly of a “genuine public clamor for Duterte to run for president. The visits of the two Nacionalista senators have sparked speculations about a possible NP-PDP Laban alliance for the feisty Davao mayor who keeps denying plans of a presidential run (kuno…).
So I See’s fearless forecast: Duterte will run for president. As for the VP, saka na muna.
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And now, current front-runner Grace Poe Llamanzares:
• Sonny Trillanes has announced that he will run for vice-president, regardless of whether his party, the NP, would back him or not. And though he is not seeking her endorsement, he will run as an independent, yet support Ms. Poe. Naks naman!
• But as for Grace, it seems pretty obvious: She only has eyes for Chiz.
• Grace will run as an independent, and her Queso will run also as an independent, but with a gaggle of NPCs, and closet Poes in the LP riding on her popularity.
So I See has an obvious forecast: From Grace to her Queso: Eres tu y nadie mas que tu; only you and nobody else but you.
Like four coins (or rather, eight) in the fountain, who will the people bless?