Iskoterte

By Artchil B. Fernandez

Not a few viewed with suspicion Isko Moreno’s announcement he is running for president in the 2022 election. The public was skeptical of his opposition credential, aware of his past link with the current administration. Prior to his election as Manila mayor, Moreno served the present administration as chairman of the North Luzon Railways Corp. (Northrail), undersecretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and was with the peace panel of the government talking with communist rebels.

These associations of Isko Moreno with the administration fueled the speculation he is a Manchurian candidate of the ruling coalition. Talk was rife his candidacy was meant to divide the opposition and sow confusion among its ranks. The issue nonetheless mellowed down when Du30 started attacking Moreno in his midnight talks. Moreno also issued statements critical of the administration posturing himself as an opposition.

Recent events however revived the issue of Moreno’s association with the Du30 regime and rekindled the talk on his questionable qualification as an opposition.

Immediately after the ruling party’s presidential candidate Bong Go publicly declared he is withdrawing from the race, Moreno instantly positioned himself as the beneficiary of the recent twist in the administration’s drama serye. He wasted no time courting Du30’s endorsement.

Go has yet to make his backing out from the presidential contest official but Moreno is already angling for the support of the administration. “If they choose me, thank you, thank you in advance. But I don’t want to preempt their decision until they say so. For the meantime, I’m always hopeful,” Moreno declared as he publicly wooed the ruling party.

“I will not refuse. Beggars can’t be choosers. I need all the help I can get from anyone, ordinary people, anyone. Because this is a serious battle, the Philippines is big,” he added almost pleading for administration backing.

To sweeten his pitch for administration support, Moreno started singing a different tune on the pandemic handling of the administration. Two months ago, Moreno was critical of the way the current leadership manages the pandemic. In a sudden turnaround, Moreno from out of the blue saw a silver lining praising the vaccination drive of the administration. “This is the best portion being done by the national government… This will matter to the tourism industry.”

Sounding almost desperate, Moreno upped his ante lately, shamelessly flirting with the administration by unabashedly flattering Du30. Like a love-struck teenager, Moreno openly expressed his affection to the Dear Leader. “I’m going to vote for him personally. I’m going to endorse him personally kung papayag siya (if he will agree). I’ll be honored. I’ll be humbled na umoo si Pangulong Duterte (if President Duterte agrees).”

Moreno also offered Du30 a slot in his senatorial slate. “It is definitely an honor for me if the President will accept my invitation for him to be an adopted senatorial candidate of Aksyon Demokratiko… Let’s give credit where credit is due. President Duterte has so many accomplishments. And I believe that he can be an effective senator since through legislation, he can ensure that his legacy will [be] institutionalized,” he proclaimed in his charm offensive to Du30. Moreno’s public adulation of Du30 is jaw-dropping, bordering on incredulity.

Beyond Moreno’s cheap antics and stripping it of its glare, one can see a faltering candidacy. His tasteless platitudes to Du30 barely hide a presidential run that has lost steam and is losing ground. Isko Moreno is frantically trying to revive a teetering and flagging campaign by seeking anyone who can revive it, even the Devil. That’s how desperate he is.

By now it is apparent that Moreno’s presidential run is a grave miscalculation on his part. Turning to Du30 is his way of salvaging his fading candidacy. He thinks that by transforming himself into Iskoterte, he can rescue his presidential ambition.

Will becoming Iskoterte, a poor copy or a deficient clone of Du30 resuscitate Moreno’s evaporating presidential run? If Moreno gets Du30’s endorsement and inherits the machinery of the administration will this be enough to save his campaign?

Granting Moreno gets the backing of the administration, it will only further damage his brand. His swing from administration to the opposition and back (?) to the administration only confirms his lack of principle and absence of moral compass. He is devoid of decency, uprightness, and virtue. Obsessed with power and getting it at all or any cost, Moreno has no qualm bargaining with Mephistopheles just to be president.

The recent move of Moreno only confirms his opportunistic politics, and he is the epitome of an opportunist politician. He is only consistent in this regard. Throughout his political career, he switched parties five times. He was with the Nacionalista Party (2006-10), Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (2010-14), Estrada’s PMP (2014-16), National Unity Party (2016-21) and Aksyon Demokratiko (2021).

Moreno’s stance on many issues exposed his opportunistic politics. He parrots the Marcoses’ “move-on” line to win the votes of their loyalists and branded his critics as “dilawans” to curry favor from Du30 fanatics. He may be young, but his politics is old, dirty, traditional, and opportunistic. His latest embrace of Du30 to win his backing is political opportunism in its most shameless form.

In despair, Moreno wants to be Du30’s avatar, an Iskoterte if only to turn around a dying presidential run. But it will only reinforce his political opportunism and solidify his opportunist image. The future of this country must not be trusted to an opportunist.