Month: October 2012

Thanks, Secretary Lacierda for this statement: “Campaigning is campaigning. There were words that were exchanged during that time but we move on for the sake of the country.”

At least now, we know how to take your words, the words of President Aquino and all politicians in the coming campaign for the May 2013 elections.

Many of us were not wise enough to have taken your and your partymates’ words seriously in the 2010 elections. That’s a valuable lesson learned.

Lacierda made the above statement when asked about the inclusion of Cynthia Villar, wife of Senator Manny Villar, in the administration 2013 senatorial ticket.

The inclusion of Cynthia Villar in the admin ticket is a result of the coalition with the Nacionalista Party for the 201s elections. Aside from Villar, the two other NP representatives in the still to be named admin ticket are re-electionists Alan Peter Cayetano and Antonio Trillanes IV.

It must be recalled that during the 2010 presidential campaign, the most vicious battle was between Aquino and Villar (who ended up third, behind former President Joseph Estrada).

Aquino’s “Tuwid na Daan” slogan made a dig with the C-5 issue, with a lot of help from Sen. Jamby Madriga.But what really did Villar in was the Villaroyo tag that Aquino’s propagandists effectively pinned on Villar.

After the election, nothing came out of those issues. Not only was the alleged irregularities of the C-5 project forgotten, it has in fact been pursued by the Aquino administration under its Public-Private Partnership program.

Villaroyo? Has that ever been raised after the election?

Lacierda said “Senator Villar has been supportive—correct me if I’m wrong—of some of the admin measures in the Senate…You’re looking at the Nacionalista Party and who will be there. You’re looking at Alan Cayetano who stood for good governance… Party principles transcend individual differences.”

Ganun naman pala e.

We share the disappointment of many of the absence of Quezon Rep. Erin Tañada in the admin senatorial slate.

Sure, Tañada was not doing well in the surveys but is survey to be-all and end-all of politics?
Anyway, here’s the administration senatorial slate: Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, Sen. Francis Escudero, Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Risa Hontiveros, Ramon Magsaysay Jr., Jamby Madrigal, Mary Grace Poe Llamanzares, Sen. Loren Legarda, Rep. Cynthia Villar and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III.

The United Nationalist Alliance has only eight candidates with the withdrawal of Joey de Venecia, son of former House Speaker Jose de Venecia, who exposed the anomalous NBN/ZTE deal that incloved Gloria and Mike Arroyo.

The UNA slate includes Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile, San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Margarita “Ting-ting” Cojuangco, Ernesto Maceda, Richard Gordon, reelectionist Sen. Gregorio Honasan and Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay.

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño, who will be filing today his certificate of candidacy, will run for senator as an independent candidate.

The beautiful thing about democracy is that everybody is free to dream and run for an elective position. I even see it as an occasion for a redistribution of wealth.

The people are also free to choose who to vote. I just hope that the people vote wisely.