Wednesday, February 14, 2007 Maxey: Political acrobats By Ram Maxey Bar None
"CIRCUS comes to town" was Monday's screaming headline of a Manila-based broadsheet telling about the carnival atmosphere the day before in and around the Commission on Elections (Comelec) headquarters in Intramuros, Manila where candidates beat the deadline for filing of their certificates of candidacy for senator.
Much of the frenzied attention of bystanders and kibitzers was focused on entertainment celebrities, like movie Megastar Sharon Cuneta, wife of Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan, and reelectionist Senator Ralph Recto's wife of Star for All Seasons and Lipa Mayor Vilma Santos.
Also on hand were such political figures like the maverick Sen. Joker Arroyo, who's no joker, and Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson eyeing a senate seat. With Singson was People's superfeatherweight champion Manny Pacquiao, himself a congressional bet in General Santos City. Eliciting `ooohs and aaahs' from the crowd were movie star Richard Gomez and lovely wife, Lucy Torres.
Easily the most surprising appearance was made by, of all people, Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, who was picked for the 12th slot in the administration ticket in lieu of Gomez, ostensibly to represent the Moro people and their aspirations. Gomez is running as an independent. Napasubo na rin, eh (He's at it anyway).
Now I know why the press refers to every Philippine election as a `carnival'. The least serious among the contenders, aside from being nuisance candidates, are the clowns. And don't forget that every carnival has acrobats, in this case, candidates like former senators Tessie Aquino-Oreta and Vicente Sotto III.
They used to be with the opposition, but when they sensed they would not be taken into the Grand Coalition, they made like acrobats by somersaulting to the administration's Team Unity without mishap. Ang galing talaga, no? (isn't that great?)
At the end of the day, there were a total of 78 names in the senatorial list. Only 12 will make it to the finish line with plenty to spare, the other 66 will be called "also-rans." Who the 12 winners will be remains to be seen. But what is certain is that there will be a couple or more "square pegs in a round hole" in the Upper House if we go by the law of average. As if you didn't know.
