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Monday, October 27, 2003
Mongaya: FPJ showing political savvy
By ANOL MONGAYA
Fernando Poe Jr. seems to be showing more political savvy in the way he is acting in the political stage. Look at how he brushed aside politicos and reportedly said he needs more time to consult first the nongovernment organizations that asked him to run for president.
In one move, he showed contempt for politicians (who needs him more because they have no other winnable candidate) and distanced himself from them; he identified himself with the masa that catapulted his buddy Erap to the presidency in 1998; he placed himself in the national limelight and kept people guessing and waiting for his decision.
But then, it could just be that FPJ has developed his instinct for catching the limelight coupled with excellent media handlers. This presumes that FPJ has already decided on running. And I’ll bet my last peso that Susan Roces had already failed in dissuading him from running.
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For many particularly from the sector that activists call the middle forces, however, an FPJ candidacy is bad news. Worse, they agonized over the possibility that FPJ could actually win the presidency. They don’t want a repeat of the Estrada presidency.
At least Estrada had political experience, they pointed out. FPJ was not even a barangay captain outside his movies.
Yet his lack of knowledge about running a public office is half of the problem. The other half are his supporters who salivate at the prospect of the chance of getting their hands inside the cookie jar again. After what happened to Erap, though, I am sure they would be more careful the second time around lest they be caught again before he could finish his term.
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Nevertheless, the so-called middle forces have a more immediate concern. A formidable force behind the Marcos dictatorship, the Erap presidency, and now the FPJ candidacy has mobilized his minions at the Lower House to hit back at Chief Justice Hilario Davide.
A friend, who is with the NPC camp, sent a text message as he tried to explain the Davide impeachment. He said Davide is arrogant. He added that the chief justice “is given a dose of what he did to Erap.”
As for arrogance, I could only guess that maybe the chief justice turned down a request. After all, the NPC patron lost in several rounds at the Supreme Court in the San Miguel ownership case. The second reason smacks of the “weather-weather” kind of political mentality that now threatens to also engulf the judiciary.
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I am glad, however, that a spontaneous groundswell is emerging to defend Chief Justice Davide who should have been the last man, because of his decency and integrity, to be impeached.
A pro-Davide coalition has been organized and is urging all to wear black armbands today. A mass had also been set at 6 p.m. today at the Redemptorist church.
But the movement for Davide should gain momentum fast nationwide to be effective. I think this is crucial particularly because it is competing with another political development that is also fast gaining momentum, the FPJ candidacy. |
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