Cotto is biggest obstacle in Pacquiao’s ring career–Arum

by Alex P. Vidal

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Top Rank chief Bob Arum has described World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Miguel Angel Cotto as “the biggest obstacle in (Manny) Pacquiao’s ring career” during the final press conference for the “Pacquiao vs Cotto: Firepower” at the Hollywood Theater in MGM Grand, here, November 11 afternoon.

“Cotto has a heart as big as this room,” the 77-year-old prominent promoter enthused as he moderated the three-hour media forum attended by members of coaching staff from both camps.

Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) was paraded in the conference ahead of Pacquiao towed by his father, Miguel Sr. and trainer, Joe Santiago.

“I trained a lot like never been before for this fight and we have created a game plan on how to beat Pacquiao,” Cotto, who turned 29 last October 29, remarked in a brief speech. “I dedicated this fight for the glory of all the Hispanics.”

Cotto wished the 30-year-old Pacquiao “the best of luck” because he said, “he needs it most on Saturday (Nov. 11).”

There was neither enmity nor animosity as both camps elected to use good words between each other.

Santiago, who impressed the crowd with his gesture of goodwill towards Team Pacquiao, confirmed that “Cotto is in the best shape of his career.”
Santiago believed that after the fight, the WBO belt would still be strapped around his ward’s waist.

Arum also confirmed that the 12-round duel for Cotto’s title on November 14 “is the most important fight of Pacquiao’s career” as he is gunning for a record seventh world crown since he annexed Chatchai Sasakul’s World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight diadem on a shock 8th round knockout at Phuttamonthon, Thailand on December 4, 1998.

“The Cotto camp has been very good,” beamed Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs), who flashed a smile most of the time in a show of confidence. “There is no reason (for me) not to put up a good showing on Saturday because this is the most important fight of my career. After this fight, there will be a lot of excitement in my country.”

Pacquiao was accompanied by trainer Freddie Roach, fight conditioner Alex Ariza, legman Michael Koncz, and assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez.
Before the start of the press conference, Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman awarded both Cotto and Pacquiao with symbolic key each “with a great deal of affection” saying he is “the happiest mayor in the world” for having welcomed two of the greatest fighters in the world.

Arum described Goodman as “the greatest mayor of the greatest city in the world.”

Also present during the press conference attended by journalists from the Philippines, United States and Puerto Rico were Nevada State Athletic Commission executive Keith Kizer, HBO head Mark Tafffet, Richard Sturm. Tecate executive Marcelo Salina, and WBC executive director Mauricio Sulaiman who presented the WBC diamond championship belt that will go the winner.

Pacquiao’s other ‘Father’ says Cotto will fall in 6th round

by Alex P. Vidal

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – The man who once adopted Manny Paquiao as a skinny “stow away” amateur boxer in the said he saw the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown fall from the head of champion Miguel Angel Cotto when the two clash in a 12-round championship fight dubbed “Firepower” at the MGM Grand, here, on November 14.

“Sa nakita ko sa insayo nia kahapon, may pagkalalagyan si Cotto baka hanggang sixth round lang sia (Based on what I saw during Pacquiao’s training yesterday, I can see that Cotto might last only for six rounds),” volunteered Mario “Mar” Sumalinog, Pacquiao’s former coach in Team Davao del Sur in 1988 to 1989.

Sumalinog, 48, who considers Pacquiao as his adopted son, was the coach of the fabled Team Davao del Sur that consisted of the then 14-year-old Pacquiao, future Philippine champion Roberto Moreno, Sonny Panding, Dennis Sabsal, Renato Moreno, Aldy Nut, Bobong Escalicas, future WBC international titlist Abner Cordero, and future WBO international champion Vernie Torres, who now acts as one of Team Pacquiao’s field men in the United States.

He considers Pacquiao’s speed and force as “the most deadly” among all the welterweights in the world today and that Cotto can never withstand them, he said.

Sumalinog is a former Philippine bantamweight champion. He came to the United States last year for Pacquiao’s duel with Oscar De La Hoya on December 5, his first-ever international trip.

“It was Manny who helped facilitate my travel documents,” sighed Sumalinog, whose four of five children—Michael, 23; Melvin, 22; Marjun, 20; and Mar Francis, 18–are all boxers and gold medalists in the Batang Pinoy”, a national amateur slugfest introduced in the 90’s by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Speaking in vernacular, Sumalinog said when Pacquiao invited him to watch his fight in the United States last year, he was first adamant to accept it “because I don’t know how to operate the elevators and I am not good in English as I have no formal college degree.”

He agreed to fly to the United States when he was accompanied by lawyer Luciano Camiros, who looks into Pacquiao’s legal documents in Digos, Davao del Sur.

Sumalinog, employee of the construction maintenance office of Davao del Sur capitol under Gov. Dodo Cagas, described Pacquiao as “generous “ and “with a good heart.” He discovered Pacquiao’s qualities when the young boxer trained under his tutelage and stayed at his house while fighting as a simon-pure, he said.

When Pacquiao decided to try his luck in Manila as a prizefighter in 1994 accompanied by boxing impresario Nanay Parcon, he and Sumalinog parted ways. After making a name and racking up victories in the “Blow by Blow” promotion of future business manager Rod Nazario and Lito Mondejar in Mandaluyong City, Sumalinog said Pacquiao paid him a surprise visit at his house in Brgy. Tagabuli, Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur.

“He came with no bodyguards and was alone,” recalled Sumalinog. “It was a tearful meeting because I chided him about the negative things I heard about him starting when he campaigned in Metro Manila.”

Sumalinog said he reminded Pacquiao about the sacrifices they made during his amateur days and their vow to place God at the center of their lives. He said Pacquiao told him, “Coach, I will never forget you for the rest of my life.”

He said Pacquiao invited him to watch his Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) title duel with Thailand’s 3K Battery in Mandaluyong City and his world title match against Erik Morales in Manila.

“And that’s how we became connected again,” he chortled.

Sumalinog credited Pacquiao’s original spiritual adviser, Fr. Elieser D. Capuyan, DCD of St. Jospeh The Worker Parish in Santa Cruz, for his and Pacquiao’s devotion to God.

“Hindi nakalimot yan sa Diyos. Kun ano man ang biyaya na nakamit niya ngayon at dahil sa pagmamahal nia sa Diyos at ordinaryong tao (He loves God and ordinary people),” Sumalinog concluded.

‘Like Michael Jackson, Manny is helping heal the world’

by Alex P. Vidal

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – A priest from Davao del Sur in the Philippines has compared Manny Pacquiao’s penchant to spread the gospel of God to the late Michael Jackson’ passion to “heal the world” saying “God can use even a boxer to preach evangelism in a massive scale.”

Fr. Elieser D. Capuyan, DCD of St. Joseph The Worker Parish in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur, said most international celebrities like the dead pop star and the boxing superstar “are using their focus and opportunity not just to anoint themselves but to spread the gospel of the Lord in a global stage.”

In Michael Jackson, Capuyan was referring to the same title of song that the late pop icon had popularized where it conveyed a message of love to “heal the world and make it a better place” for all regardless of sex, age, nationality, political and religious affiliations.

“Without him knowing it, Manny challenges everyone to show the faith in God because that is our vocation,” said Capuyan, who joined Team Pacquiao in early morning jog November 11.

The priest revealed he was surprised when during their arrival prayer inside Pacquiao’s posh room at The Hotel on the 63rd floor evening of November 9, it was the best boxer in the world pound-for-pound who led the praying of rosary.

“I thought that since I was invited to join the prayer together with a small group, I would be the one to lead the prayer as a priest,” Capuyan chortled. “Manny showed the basic principle of being a Christian to preach the evangelism and he is responding to his calling.”

As a priest, Capuyan said he knows that his capacity to preach the gospel of God is limited within his church. “Manny has all the world (listening) to hear his message,” he added.

More than his skills as a prizefighter, Capuyan said he admired the 30-year-old Pacquiao’s “religiosity, his faith in God and his humility because he always attributes everything as coming from God.”

Capuyan admitted it was his first meeting with Pacquiao in the United States although he already knew him way back in Mindanao where Pacquiao originally came from.

He refused to comment about Pacquiao’s chances to dethrone Miguel Angel Cotto for the Puerto Rican’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight bauble when the two tangle for 12 rounds in a title fight dubbed “Pacquiao vs Cotto: Firepower” at the Event Center of MGM Grand here on November 14.

Like Pacquiao, Cotto is also reportedly a devout Christian and is also preaching the gospel of God in his own way.

Greatness, sort of

Theres The Rub
by Conrado de Quiros
from Philippine Daily Inquirer

ONE is tempted to say Manny Pacquiao can do without any additional pressure put on his shoulders. And to say that landing on the cover of Time is a pressure is like saying Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a minor irritation. It is huge. It makes winning his fight against Miguel Cotto this Sunday an absolute must. But I don’t know that Pacquiao’s shoulders aren’t up to it. That in fact is one of the reasons he deserves to be on that magazine’s cover. He’s one of those amazing sports personalities who actually thrive on pressure, who court pressure as a chance to show the stuff he’s made of. He’s awed by the honor the magazine has just conferred on him, but he is not cowed by it. Look at the way he’s looking forward to the fight against Cotto. Without lapsing into trash talk—his culture frowns on it—indeed while completely respecting his opponent—he seems in little doubt about its outcome. He is going to win. It’s not just that losing is not an option, it’s that it’s simply not on his horizon.

Heaven forbid he does. That too is not just not an option for the country, it simply doesn’t loom on our horizon.

I myself am a little ambivalent about Time’s accolade.

On one side, it is of course a signal honor, a deep source of pride, for us. Only Corazon Aquino has done it before, and doubly so, a feat unlikely to be duplicated in the near future. Being put on Time’s cover thrusts Pacquiao into the ranks of Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, sports figures whose impact on the games they play has been vast. Pacquiao himself has done the unprecedented feat of winning in several weight classes. Sugar Ray Leonard is right to say people do not seem to fully appreciate it when it is nothing short of spectacular. He himself, Leonard says, hasn’t done it. No boxer has done it. Pacquiao isn’t just demolishing adversaries, he is demolishing boundaries.

More than Jordan and Woods, Pacquiao has impacted not just on the game he plays but on the games other people play. That is to say, his impact has gone beyond sports. He isn’t just the hero of this country, he is the savior of this country. This country reposes its hope, its future, its destiny on him every time he fights. As news reports have pointed out, the crime rate in this country drops to near-zero when he fights as no respectable bank robber would be found plying his trade at that sacred hour. Less reported is that he unites Filipinos in more ways than one. When he fights, Filipinos forget that he has sung the praises of Malacañang and that his victories are likely to redound to the benefit of its occupants and root for him anyway, man and woman, young and old, two-legged and four.

But Pacquiao’s landing in Time is not without its disquieting aspects too. He himself says that he wants to prove that he represents a small but mighty country. That’s probably the last thing he will. All that his successes have highlighted in fact is that his country is a puny one. All they have done is etch in stark relief the epic contrast between the heights he has reached and the depths his country has sunk to.

There’s always something disquieting when a country pins its hopes, its future and its destiny on the outcome of a sports event. I know other countries do that with football. A player from Argentina was gunned down by underworld thugs for the unforgivable crime of accidentally kicking the ball into his own goal, thereby kicking Argentina out of the World Cup. And as everyone knows football is not a game in Brazil, it is a religion.

But it goes well beyond even that in this country. Pacquiao rose to fame by unmitigated grit at the very time his country fell into infamy by unmitigated gall. Pacquiao attained his glory at the very time Gloria attained her ingloriousness. The heaven the country felt with Pacquiao’s ascent to boxing Valhalla came alongside the hell it experienced with its government’s descent to political depravity. The Philippines came to be known the world over as the home of the best pound-for-pound fighter living today. But it also came to be known as the home of the worst peso-for-peso thieves living today. Pacquiao went on to become the most fearsome fighter in the ring, the Philippines went on to become the most corrupt country in the globe.

The reason this country worships Pacquiao the way humankind’s ancestors worshipped the sun is out of sheer need. The reason this country grinds to a halt every time Pacquiao fights is out of sheer hope. Having nothing to be proud of, having indeed everything to be ashamed of, we look up to Pacquiao’s fights as something to prop us up, as a source of replenishment. His victories aren’t just our victories, they are our very survival. Man does not live by bread alone, he lives by circuses too. Lacking the one, we make do with the other.

Truly, heaven forbid Pacquiao loses.

I am proud of Pacquiao being on the Time cover. But I am also bothered by the thought that it represents a decline in the national stature, driven home by the fact that not too long ago a Filipino did so as well for a far more epic achievement. That was Corazon Aquino who made it there twice for having fashioned stouter wings than Icarus in the form of People Power. It’s not just that boxing is a lesser achievement compared to the liberation of a country. Tiger Woods will never be Martin Luther King. It’s also that Cory’s achievement enriches the people rather than pauperizes them by contrast. It is Cory’s achievement that shows the country to be a small but mighty one, a country whose people are capable of breaking their chains, not least inside themselves, not least their penchant for mediocrity, and rise to breathtaking heights.

That is greatness. The other is just, well, sort of.

Gloria’s Game Plan

PerryScope
by Perry Diaz

A series of unexpected events in the past several years have caused disruptions in the way President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo wanted things to happen. And now Gloria is faced with a dilemma. What’s her game plan?

In my article, “Judicial Independence” (November 2006), I wrote: “The recent decision of the Philippine Supreme Court to dismiss the petition for a people’s initiative to amend the constitution to replace the presidential system with a parliamentary form of government has created a political storm. With a bare 8-7 majority, the decision penned by Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio caught a lot of people by surprise. People close to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo were expecting the Supreme Court to vote in favor of the petition by at least a 9-6 majority.” It was a devastating setback for Gloria.

Had the Supreme Court voted in favor of the “people’s initiative,” Gloria would have been the country’s Prime Minister by now with an open-ended term of office. That is, as long as her political allies in Parliament would support her, she’d remain in power… indefinitely.

But having failed in her first attempt to stay in power beyond her presidential term, Gloria pursued other avenues to perpetuate herself in power. On February 24, 2006, on the eve of the anniversary of the “People Power” revolution of 1986, Gloria declared a “state of national emergency.” She banned all rallies and public gatherings. Her government seized TV networks, radio stations, and news media. All electronic mail and Internet communications were “frozen.” And she rounded up the “usual suspects” including leaders of left-wing and communist organizations. It was a anti-communist witch-hunt similar to the events preceding the declaration of martial law by Marcos in 1972. However, many people believed that her real reason was to prevent a massive demonstration the following day which could trigger another “People Power” revolution… and topple her. A week later, on March 3, Gloria lifted the “state of emergency,” but only after instituting repressive measures.

On August 13, 2009, a Philippine Daily Inquirer article said: “On July 9, Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia told the Rotary Club of Manila that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo could declare martial law should the campaign for Charter change fail.” De Venecia was quoted as saying, “If they are unable to get the three-fourths vote necessary to amend the Constitution, their … fallback position is to declare martial law.” He also said that the plan to declare martial law was “was broached in 2005 at the height of the national crisis triggered by the ‘Hello Garci’ election fraud scandal.” De Venecia at that time was Gloria’s most trusted ally in Congress. They did a lot of things together.

The same article also mentioned that on July 22, former Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz, speaking before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, said that De Venecia indeed has “intimate knowledge of these events.” He was Gloria’s Secretary of Defense from 2004 to 2006 so he would have been privy to it.

On the same day, August 13, 2009, former Ambassador to the U.S. Albert Del Rosario (2001-2006) wrote an article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, to wit: “It was in 2005 during the ‘Hello Garci’ controversy that the then Speaker of the House, Jose de Venecia Jr., came to Washington. He indicated that the Palace had empowered him to ask if we could defend for them the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus.”

Del Rosario said that he was taken aback and asked why. De Venecia responded that “it was to be used against certain members of the political opposition.” Del Rosario told De Venecia that “the plan was not defensible… and that we could not defend it.” In June 2006, Del Rosario was recalled from his post in Washington, DC. Evidently, Gloria had lost her confidence in Del Rosario as a “team player”; thus, the “recall” or “firing” as a lot of people believed.

After being rebuffed by her own ambassador to the U.S., Gloria tried another attempt to revive Charter change (Cha-cha). This time, her allies in the House of Representatives filed several House resolutions to either convene a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) or Constitutional Convention (Con-Con) to amend the constitution.

But first, Gloria had to consolidate her power in the House of Representatives with the merger of Lakas-CMD and Kampi into a “powerhouse” party. On May 28, 2009, the merger was achieved with Gloria as its Chairman. Gloria was ready to roll.

A few days later, in the late hours of June 2, 2009, the House of Representatives — by voice vote — railroaded the controversial House Resolution 1109 which calls on the House of Representatives to convene into a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) to amend the 1987 constitution without Senate participation. This time, Gloria couldn’t go wrong with her virtual absolute control of the House of Representatives. Finally, her ultimate goal was within reach.

But once again, Gloria’s attempt to change the constitution was thwarted when former President Cory Aquino passed away on August 1, 2009. In 1987, Cory changed the constitution to make sure that martial law will not happen again. The 1987 constitution is sometimes referred to as “Cory constitution.” It did not come as surprise then that Cory made a wish prior to he death not to change the 1987 constitution. With her passing, the move by Gloria’s allies in House of Representatives to pursue Cha-cha disintegrated.

With Cha-cha derailed, Gloria’s allies pursued another avenue — they’re pushing her to run for Congress. However, some people believe that Gloria’s plan to run for Congress had been in the works for sometime as a contingency plan in the event that all of her options — except martial law — were no longer doable. As an indication that Gloria was preparing to run for a congressional seat, Gloria has visited her district — doling out “goodies” — at least 47 times this year.

In my article, “Gloria’s Gambit” (May 2009), I wrote: “As a congresswoman, Gloria could easily muster enough support to become the Speaker of the House. She could then maneuver to pass a resolution to convene a Constituent Assembly (Con-ass) or Constitutional Convention (Con-con) to amend the constitution to adopt a parliamentary form of government.” Now, it seems like that’s her only viable option to regain power after her presidency ends in June 2010.

Lately, rumors started circulating that Gloria is going to run for vice president. But what would she gain by becoming vice president? I doubt if she would even win. As each day passes, Gloria’s game plan becomes clearer.

The deadline for filing her certificate of candidacy is December 1, 2009. If, for any reason, Gloria will not run for Congress or vice president, she will have two options left — retire from politics or stay in power by all means. Which one will it be?

(PerryDiaz@gmail.com)

David vs. Gloriath

Balitang Kutsero
by Perry Diaz

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo — daughter of Diosdado Macapagal, the “poor boy from Lubao,” who became president in 1961 — is rumored to be going back to her roots. She built a 400-square-meter house in Lubao and it looks like she’s going to run for the congressional district seat currently occupied by her son, Mikey. I wonder how Mikey feels being told by his mama to “scoot over”? He should move to California and live in his beach front mansion and hang out in karaoke joints and juice bars. That’s better than living in the “Disenchanted Kingdom” of his mama.

But mama Gloria’s run for Congress is not going to be a piece of cake. Popular professor and columnist Randy David is going to run against her and give her a run for her money. Or is it the people’s money? Well folks, it’s going to be a battle royale between David and Gloriath.

But why would Gloriath want to run for Congress? My investigative reporter James Macaquecquec did some sleuthing in Lubao — the capital of Jueteng Land — and heard an interesting story. The story goes: Gloria and Mike were sleeping in their big house in Lubao when Mike was awakened by a noise. “Wake up, darling,” he whispered to Gloria. “there are thieves in the house.” “Don’t worry about them, go back to sleep,” Gloria told Mike. “But I’m scared, darling,” Mike whispered, “the thieves might hurt us and take all our money.” “Don’t worry, sweetheart, the thieves in the House will not hurt us. They’re all my friends and that’s the reason why I’m running for the House of Thieves next year. They promised that they’ll elect me as their next Speaker of the House.” Hail Gloria! The House of Thieves will never be the same again.

Well, I hope Gloria realizes that she won’t be a shoo-in for Mikey’s congressional seat. My other investigative reporter from Northern California heard another scuttlebutt going around in Gloria’s inner circle. It goes: Gloria’s executive secretary said, “Ma’am, why don’t you run for vice president like what you did in 1998 when Erap Estrada ran for president. He was a sure winner then and this time he has a very good chance of beating all his opponents including your ‘manok,’ Gibo Teodoro.” “Hmmm… if Erap wins and I win too, history might be repeated again,” Gloria said. “Bingo!” her legal secretary shouted. “Honey, that means that you can oust Erap again,” the First Gentleman interjected. “Happy days are here again, gang!” “Quiet!” Gloria told her husband and then turned to her political adviser, “Why don’t you get someone to nominate me for vice president at our party’s national convention. And make sure I get nominated, okay?”

News Item: Gloria’s supporters were saying that Gloria would be an “asset” to anyone who is elected president. Now, don’t tell that to Erap. After Gloria grabbed the presidency from Erap in 2001, Erap sees her as an “ace in the hole,” if you know what I mean.

The question is: Would Gloria take the risk of running and losing in the vice presidential race when her popularity rating has reached rock bottom? Gloria may be dumb but she’s not stupid. Did I say that right? Or should I say, Gloria may be stupid but she’s not dumb.

My take is that Gloria would rather run for Mikey’s congressional seat. She has a better chance of cheating… errr, winning in a district election than in a national election. Besides, Gloria is a hands-on person. Yep, she wants her hands in all the cookie jars she could find. And there’s a lot of cookie jars in Jueteng Land.

The vice presidential merry-go-round is turning out to be a circus. Presidential wannabes Manny Villar and Gibo Teodoro are still without VP running mates, and vice presidential wannabe Loren Legarda is still without a presidential running mate. And after Chiz Escudero bolted Danding’s NPC, Chiz realized that he doesn’t have a campaign machine and, worst, he doesn’t have money to buy votes. Now, that’s not only dumb, that’s stupid.

Look at Erap, it didn’t take him long to pick Jejomar Binay as his VP running mate. Binay may not be “winnable” but Erap couldn’t care less… as long as he wins the presidency. Erap is neither dumb nor stupid.

Erap’s secret weapon has always been his acting ability. He’s good whether he’s acting on the screen or acting as president. The only problem is that he can’t tell the difference.

When Erap announced his presidential bid, he told his 9,000 cheering fans that it’s going to be his “last performance.” What he didn’t tell them was that he was referring to a movie — a comedy — which will be released in December. It features him, comedienne Ai-Ai de las Alas, and Dionisia — Manny Pacquiao’s mama — in her screen debut. Yep, Erap’s “last performance” would be similar to his “first performance” as president of the country — a comedy.

With Gibo Teodoro’s failure to attract a vice presidential running mate, he’s trying again to get former actor and Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. as his running mate. The first time Gibo asked Bong to be his running mate, Bong told him that he had to ask his dad, former Sen. Ramon Revilla Sr., for his blessing. His dad told him not to run. Bong should have asked his more than 80 brothers and sisters — fathered by his dad with different women — for support. I’m pretty sure that they’d be more supportive of Bong. Sometimes being a sibling of a high government official would open windows of opportunity — the higher the position the bigger the opportunity. Ask the Lion King.

Meanwhile, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. confirmed that he’s going to run for senator in Erap’s slate. The other day, Bongbong’s mama, Imelda Marcos, was heard cheering for his son, “Go, Bongbong, go! Be like your dad.” Oops! I don’t think the voters would buy that.

Quo Vadis, Chiz?

PerryScope
by Perry Diaz

On October 28, 2009, Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero dropped a bombshell when he announced that he was bolting the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC). It was stunning and unexpected. He was supposed to make his presidential bid official but instead he said that he is still undecided on what to do next.

However, his campaign manager, Lito Banayo, said: “He was running as himself, not as one bound by the party’s interests. He did not want to be ‘chained’ to party interests, and in an unusually bold statement, virtually made a declaration of independence from party politics, and embraced ‘people politics’. One who desires the presidency, he said, must forswear narrow party interests in favour of the larger interest of people and nation. In Pilipino, he was saying, ‘the people must be one’s party’.”

Banayo further said: “It was a ‘revolt’ against the political system we have become accustomed to, one where the landed elite, the billionaire class, the oligarchy always held sway. It was a polity dominated by economic interests of the few who ‘own’ the wealth of the nation, not always to the long-lasting benefit of the many, the teeming many, who own so little.”

Chiz says it all when he declared: “Hindi ako heredero, hindi ako haciendero, at lalong hindi ako bilyonaryo.” (I am not an heir, I am not a plantation landlord, and most of all I am not a billionaire). It was a defiant declaration of independence from the political warlords, oligarchs, and kingmakers. It was like the “Cry of Balintawak” of 1896 when Andres Bonifacio and his fellow “katipuneros” tore their “cedulas” (residence certificates) in a bold act of rebellion against the corrupt Spanish colonial masters.

The only difference is: Chiz is alone. But for how long? Would he be able to inspire the people who are sick and tired of the corrupt political system controlled by the powerful oligarchs? Or is he just a drift in the air densely polluted with the stench of a decadent socio-political culture?

Are the people content with just being on a “survival mode,” where just being alive is in itself… considered a “success”? Do people see politicians as “birds of the same feather” and corrupt to the bone? It is not uncommon to hear people say, “they’re all corrupt, I might as well get the most of what they would give me.” In other words, they would accept money from politicians who will buy their votes. But worst of all, it’s an acceptance of the notion that the status quo is irreversible… and beyond redemption.

It is interesting to note that Rep. Jack Duavit, NPC secretary general, said prior the Chiz’s resignation, “We have more than enough funds for nationwide campaign political ads,” he said, “but what we do not have are funds to buy votes.” Somebody finally admitted that “vote buying” is necessary to win elections. It came as no surprise then that one of the reasons mentioned about Chiz’s departure from NPC is that Danding Cojuangco — the founder and power behind NPC — was hesitant to fund Chiz’s campaign, which would require at least P2 billion to bankroll. And without a war chest of that size, Chiz wouldn’t be able to compete with billionaire Manny Villar, Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro who is backed by Gloria’s money-loaded administration party, and Noynoy Aquino whose wealthy family wouldn’t have any problem funding his campaign.

The media is abound with rumors that Danding is about to support either one of his two nephews — Gibo and Noynoy. Chiz probably was aware of that and beat Danding to the punch by bolting NPC. Had Danding beat Chiz to the punch first, that would have been a devastating knock-out blow for Chiz. And that would have ended Chiz’s presidential ambitions next year.

Now that Chiz has the upper hand — albeit lacking the financial means to wage an effective presidential campaign — what is he going to do now? Quo vadis, Chiz?

What are his options? If Chiz were going to run for president, he would have to bite the bullet and file his certificate of candidacy as an independent presidential candidate, unless he can muster enough support to form a political party or join an existing party. With barely a month left to file his certificate of candidacy, Chiz is under the gun to make his move. But he needs a campaign machine and a war chest. He doesn’t have both.

His second option is to run for vice president as the running mate of Villar or Teodoro. However, to do so would invite criticisms — and ruin his credibility — because he had made statements not too long ago that he’ll remain in the opposition; thus, eliminating any team up with Gibo. He also said that “there was zero probability of him teaming up with Villar due to the C-5 double funding controversy the former Senate president was embroiled in.” This option is out.

His third option is not to run for higher office and instead serve out his remaining three years in the Senate. This would give him time to build a political party — or a movement — to pursue the reforms he wants. He can then run for re-election as senator in 2013 under his new party, together with a full slate of reform-minded senatorial candidates, congressional candidates, and candidates for local offices. Then he can run for president in 2016 as the “people’s candidate.” But can he wait?

I mentioned “people’s candidate” because there is likelihood that the other presidential candidates, with the exception of Estrada, would be backed by the establishment including the powerful oligarchs who would get behind Manny, Gibo, and Noynoy. I mentioned Noynoy because should his uncle Danding decide to support him instead of his cousin Gibo, then Noynoy’s “reformist” agenda could easily fall to pieces.

It is very likely then that the next administration would be no different — if not worse — from the Arroyo administration. And it could also be that Gloria and virtually all of the country’s wealthy and powerful oligarchs would continue to control the political system. If so, it could set the country back 40 years.

What the country needs today is someone who would step up to the plate, resist pressure from the oligarchs, and institute true reforms in governance. And who would that person be: Chiz or Noynoy… or none?

The next couple of weeks should provide us an insight on where Chiz and Noynoy are going. And it would all depend on who’s going to get behind them.

(PerryDiaz@gmail.com)