By Ducky Paredes
WHY are so many of the President’s men (and women) so dead-set on making him someone to be remembered as one who was reluctant to give up the Presidency? He is not. In fact, he may actually enjoy (even welcome) the fact that his term is coming to an end.
After Press Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. assured the nation that the President had no intention of staying in power beyond his single six-year term, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte offered that President Aquino could still change his mind and may ultimately give in to the wishes of his “bosses” the people.
This is hard to do, even almost impossible.
An Aquino reelection will require a Constitutional amendment allowing the president to run for re-election.” Besides, this President has consistently opposed Charter change, while Cha-Cha proponents in the House of Representatives have said any amendment would tackle only economic provisions and will not include lifting of term limits.
Valte points out that this President did not entertain the thought of running for president until the last quarter of 2009, amid a nationwide outpouring of grief over the death of his mother, former President Corazon Aquino.
“In 2009, Senator Aquino sought the presidency as a response to calls from the people. He has consistently held the people to be his bosses,” Valte said. “That has not changed for the President, and he continues to hold fast to this, to this day.”
Valte also says that the President would not stop his allies in the House of Representatives from legislating a term extension for presidents.
“While they may be allies, they still belong to a separate and co-equal branch of government and are perfectly entitled to pursue their own advocacies,” she says.
Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, a close friend and ally of 2010 defeated vice presidential candidate Secretary Mar Roxas, filed a bill allowing the President to seek reelection.
“There is an opportunity to continue our reforms and extend the country’s economic growth streak,” Erice said. “What is important is to provide a way for the growing number of people clamoring for a second term for the President.”
He clarified though that his proposal is his personal initiative and not the party’s.
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Some hope that a Liberal Party survey – courtesy of now Budget Secretary Florencio Abad – giving Aquino a 60 percent chance of winning the 2010 polls might also convince Aquino to run.
Roxas, the presumptive presidential candidate of the LP, sparked speculation about a second term for Aquino by expressing hope in a recent interview that the President could have six more years in office.
Roxas has consistently rated way behind Binay in surveys on possible presidential candidates in 2016.
Binay, who is favored to succeed Aquino by the President’s sisters, called “selfish” Aquino’s supporters trying to convince the President to seek reelection. He also expressed hopes Aquino would not give in to calls for him to seek a second term as doing so would be an affront to the memory of his mother.
“President Aquino, through Secretary Coloma, has made known his sentiments on term extension. We must respect his decision and end this politically divisive initiative,” Binay said.
“It was a selfish proposal to begin with, motivated more by personal rather than national interest. It was also unfair to the President. The proposal put him on the spot and made him the object of criticisms, which he doesn’t deserve.”
Binay said those who made the proposal do not know the President.
“He is a decent person and will not cling to power. He is a student of history, and he won’t tarnish his mother’s good name just to please some personalities,” Binay said. “I am certain President Noynoy will follow the sterling example of his mother.”
Certainly, Binay prays that he is right about the President and would give up the presidency even when his daang matuwid will clearly be abandoned by the next president!
During Corazon Aquino’s presidency, there were reports of similar attempts by certain groups to make her run in the 1992 elections. The proponents then argued that she was not covered by the constitutional term limit since she was elected President before the Charter was ratified.
Later, when her handpicked successor Fidel Ramos backed an attempt to amend the Constitution, which would have allowed him to seek re-election, Corazon Aquino joined mass protests and reminded him that “there’s life after the presidency.”
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At the 13th Igan Cup golf tournament at Eastridge Golf and Country Club – which was for the benefit of “adopt-a-child with diabetes program” of Child Foundation, Department of Pediatrics UP-PGH last Friday, I saw an old friend, Danny Javier, who with my brother Jim was among the three who were the Apo Hiking Society. He said that he had fully recovered his health. He also gave me a ball-marker that he brought home from the Old Course–St. Andrews in Scotland.
Danny also told me that, instead of Binay, he was pushing for the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte for President Movement for the 2016 Election, which actually has a facebook page. I would not mind anyone else becoming President. I would only insist on the next one also actually sticking to the Daang Matuwid.
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A younger politician such as Alan Peter Cayetano or Secretary Ping Lacson becoming our President would be a step in the right direction. Lacson was one of only two senators who never even touched their assigned PDAFs during their terms in the Senate. Surely, that recommends him for a Daang Matuwid presidency. We need to continue the reform that started with PNoy way that led to the impeachment of a Chief Justice and now to the plunder cases against three senators, which could, in a Binay presidency, probably result in a presidential pardon for “Tanda”, “Sexy” and “Pogi.”
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Readers who missed a column can access www.duckyparedes.com/blogs. This is updated daily. Your reactions are welcome at duckyparedes@gmail.com or you can send me a message through Twitter @diretsahan.
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