Rivalry in Duterte camp irreversible?

By Herbert Vego

JUDGING from the divisiveness wracking the PDP-Laban party to where President Rodrigo Duterte belongs, it has already disintegrated into three factions in the Senate – each with self-serving political agenda.

Duterte was obviously shocked when Senator/boxer Manny Pacquiao – the party’s acting president — called his stance on our maritime dispute with China “lacking,” partially exposed unbridled graft and corruption in government, and threatened to expose more in the coming pre-election months. Never before had a party mate dared to belittle him. Pacquiao enjoys the support of former Senate president Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel Jr.

Why would Pacquiao not be disappointed? Duterte had once called him “president-to-be,” and he thought it was no joke.

The second faction showcases Senate President Tito Sotto and Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, who are allegedly motivated by their intention to run as a team for president and vice-president, respectively.  They must have “resigned” to the reality that they would not get Duterte’s blessing.

There must have been a time when they wished their “loyalty” to Duterte would earn them that.  That was the time when they strongly pushed for the approval of what is now the Anti-Terrorism Act, which permits the warrantless detention of people merely critical of the government through speeches, proclamations, writings, emblems, banners.

Davaoeño Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa spearhead the third faction whose intention is to stand by whatever political decisions Duterte makes, and only because they see their future intertwined with his.

Bong Go would go for the presidency, but only if the President – banned by law to run for reelection – decides to be his vice-presidential running mate. Their supporters In the Senate and the House call them “the dream team”.

But with presidential daughter Sara now no longer hiding her ambition to replace her dad, the latter’s oft-repeated objections could not be misconstrued as sincere. We have already heard some of their “promoters” shaking off the “impropriety” angle on the pretext that the anti-dynasty provision in the Constitution is just a piece of paper in the absence of an enabling law specifying its implementing rules and conditions.

To quote Duterte himself, “The president who will win must be a friend of mine whom I can work with.”

Lacking that “qualification,” the next president could make life hard for the incumbent President who would not want to undergo what Erap and GMA had undergone.

With the Duterte camp falling apart, Vice-President Leni Robredo must now be preparing her own political strategy.

As to the winnability of the Duterte-Duterte combination, I am afraid they would have to reach out to commercial pollsters SWS and Pulse Asia, the Smartmatic and the Comelec.  As to why, your guess is as good as mine.

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‘PERYAHAN’ SHOCKED OUT

AS late as the other day, the people behind “Peryahan ng Bayan” were holding on to the notion they were the authorized gambling operator in the province of Iloilo.

Yesterday, however, we heard PNP provincial director Col. Gilbert Gorero confirm on radio station DYSI that it’s not the “peryahan” but the Seven Aces Corp. that has been authorized by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes (PCSO) to conduct two daily draws of the Small Town Lottery (STL) in the province.

We also heard Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) member Atty. Romel Duron in his capacity as legal consultant of Seven Aces. Unlike the peryahan, he said, 52 percent of STL income would go to PCSO, of which 50 percent would be turned over to PHILHEALTH.

Duron used to be legal consultant also of Seven Aces’  predecessor, Red Subay, which, unfortunately, had to quit for failure to cope with PCSO’s remittance requirements.

It seems ironic that in this time of pandemic when businesses collapse and workers go jobless, gambling thrives.

Oh well, blame it on Basì. Basì pa lang suwertihon.

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BATTING FOR THE PROPOSED RAINWATER ORDINANCE

THIS proposed ordinance would mean nothing if only residents of Iloilo City are responsible enough to collect rainwater.  But since they are not, they raise hell whenever their faucets run dry.

And so this corner agrees with city councilors Love Baronda and Ely Estante Jr. for drafting the proposed Rainwater Harvesting Ordinance  (RWHO).

The ordinance would require residential and commercial structures to install a rain catchment — whether a pail, a tub or a concrete cistern or detention pond – befitting their non-drinking water needs. A set of implementing rules and regulations would be discussed in the Sangguniang Panglunsod.

As to the punishment for non-compliance within a time frame, wala pa piho. Daw overused na abi ang fine and community service.

Unless the city dads have a better idea, what about requiring the violators to drink a glass of their own yellow juice?

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‘MIAGAO PATRIOTS’ PREPARE FOR BATTLE

WITH still two months to go before the October 2021 filing of candidacy for the May 9, 2022 election, a group calling itself “Miag-ao Patriots” has almost finalized its plan to field municipal candidates against the ruling Miag-ao, Iloilo municipal officials identified with the Garin family.

This development could have been triggered by the rumor that former congressman Richard Garin has transferred his residence from Guimbal to Miag-ao in the wake of the sudden death of his ally Vice-Mayor Leonardo Naldoza, who had intended to run for mayor.

Garin would neither confirm nor deny the rumor. The word I heard from political insiders is that he would only give way to one of several wannabes should all of them work behind his chosen one.

Did I hear right that “graduating” Mayor Mac Napulan would want his son to succeed him?

Going back to the opposition, it is already the talk of the town that a retired senior assistant vice-president of the Philippine National Bank, Leopoldo “Doods” Moragas, is running for mayor on the battle cry “Miag-ao is for Miag-aowanons!”

Oh well, anybody in Miag-ao can read between the lines. Sadya dya.

Doods has not occupied a political office so far, but who can argue against his advocacy that “one does not have to be a public official to serve the public good”?

Sometime in 2019, for example, he took up the cudgels for the Catholic parishioners to the extent of quarreling with the priest over the closure of the church’s main gate, depriving churchgoers of a parking space for their vehicles. He personally represented them in taking up the problem with the Bishop, which eventually paved the way for the reopening of the church gate and clean-up of the surroundings.