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Thursday, April 15, 2004
Famador: Why we need a runoff
By JOEL FAMADOR
Now you know why Ping Lacson decided to run for president in this banana republic despite the futility of the exercise. Of course, his goal was not to win the presidency (the guy is not stupid). All he wanted was to gain a partnership share with the probable winner (Fernando Poe Jr., as perceived by him). The spoils belong to the winner and his allies, just like the feudal wars in the old days. Remember Edsa Dos?
Now you know why FPJ and his cohorts did not talk to Ping Lacson when the former was leading by ten points in the early poll survey of the Social Weather Station (SWS). For what? FPJ did not need Lacson and his votes.
Now you know why Ping Lacson did not talk at the time with FPJ. He had nothing to offer. His price was almost zero. So he waited for the opportune time.
Now you know why Lacson stayed with the game. He was betting that President Arroyo would finally catch up with FPJ. Which she did, and what a bet that was.
Now you know that Agapito “Butch” Aquino is not an a--hole after all. Thinking that he had no chance of getting a share in the eventual division of the spoils after an FPJ win since Ed Angara was lording it over at the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, he plotted with Ping Lacson.
Now you know what the plot was all about. It was a high-stakes poker game. And the bluff of Lacson’s group turned out to be true in the end. Liar’s poker, anybody?
Now you know why FPJ and his cohorts must talk and negotiate with Ping Lacson. It’s do or die. The latest SWS survey said that if Lacson withdrew from the race, five percent of his more than ten percent support would vote for FPJ, and a measly 1.4 percent would go for President Arroyo.
Now you know why FPJ needs Lacson to win the ultimate race of his life. He is in a statistical dead-heat with President Arroyo. And the more than five percent that he would get from Ping Lacson would amount to about 1.6 million votes, more or less.
Now you know why President Arroyo does not need Raul Roco’s withdrawal from the race. Why? According to SWS, of the 15 percent that would vote for Roco, 5.3 percent and 4.3 percent would vote for President Arroyo and FPJ, in that order. That one percent difference between the two makes no differences at all, statistically speaking.
Now you can expect the FPJ and Lacson camps to get together anytime now. Either camp can never win the presidential race without joining forces. Pragmatism is the name of the game.
Now you can expect that if FPJ would win the presidential election, Lacson (having joined forces with FPJ) would get either the Defense or Finance or Local Government portfolios, plus the Senate presidency. How about that for a “loser”?
So banana republic denizens, you must demand for one amendment in Tita Cory’s Constitution (among others, of course). Demand that in every presidential election, assuming we will still have one in the near future, there must be a runoff election or a deciding final contest between the top two candidates, if no candidate gets at least 51 percent of the votes cast in the election. That’s one sure way of eliminating political carpetbaggers that join the electoral fray for the fun(d) of it, right, Joe Banana?
(April 15, 2004 issue)
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