ANC Presidentiable Forum

Last night gave us a sampling of how things will turn out in 2010. Five presidentiables, led by a former top banker and economist Senator Mar Roxas, a lawyer turned Senator Dick Gordon, a young turk by the name of Chiz Escudero, a priest turned traditional politician by the name of Governor Ed Panlilio and a defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro took turns in giving some piece of their mind in slumbook questions. It was not a debate, as some, including this corner, surmise, but more like a gradiose press conference, with a bell as timer to boot.

And it also was no forum, for if it was, surely, you'll see panelists interacting with the audience. Nothing of that sort here. It was more of an ANC event presenting probable candidates to the presidency and giving the public a sampling of what they'll do if they emerge a winner in 2010.

Our options are these:

Choose:

1. A judicious economist
2. A militarist haciendero
3. A young liar
4. An activist priest
5. A self-absorbed do-gooder

At best, what we can expect are these probable scenarios:

1. If we elect Mar Roxas as our president, he'll be an intelligent and judicious president. He'll probe the excesses and corruption of this administration and seek justice. He'll be an intelligent president. He'll not pander to anybody. He'll be his own man, with Korina just in one corner, giving him support.

He'll surely improve the economy. His grasp of what's happening in the economy, both internal and external, is impressive. He'll prosecute erring government officials and file cases against private companies in the business of fooling the people.

2. Should we elect Defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro as president, we will definitely see landlords laughing all the way to the bank, turning their agrarian lands into tourism areas and selling them to foreigners. He'll be a tough president, talking peace with rebels while preparing for war. Teodoro will also change the way we see politics---from a presidential bicameral to a presidential unicameral---an obvious tendency to a militarist, totalitarian setup.

Mrs. Arroyo and her devil gang in barongs will obviously laugh their way to retirement. She'll go scot-free to Portugal or Brazil along with billions of pesos while Teodoro and his militarist herd transform the country into a totalitarian plutocracy.

3. If Chiz Escudero wins the presidency, we will surely have a populist government. Grafters and operators will have a field day while the poor will receive crumbs from the national government. Danding Conjuangco will keep his billions while other NPC stalwarts will ran rough-shod of government institutions. Nothing will change. The promise of youth will definitely be wasted in that administration.

Based on his pronouncements, Chiz Escudero would probably be a populist president. The way he pandered to the public, giving us cutsy and motherhood statements, and wary of really revealing his real message, shows you one thing---Chiz is, at best, an improvement of his father, former Marcos associate Salvador Escudero.

First thing, Chiz reiterated that he came from the poor--an obvious lie since everybody knows how rich the Escuderos are in Quezon and in Bicol. Chiz failed in answering Tina Monsod-Palma's first question as truthfully as possible.

Chiz says he does'nt have money---bull. Everyone knows Danding Cojuangco's Nationalist People's Coalition is backing him up. Since his run as Congressman, the NPC has been behind him eversince.

This early, Chiz has showed his true colors. "So young, yet so corrupt," to paraphrase Manila mayor Arsenio Lacson when he referred to a young Manila councilor who later ran as senator. For Chiz, " so young, yet a liar". How can you trust somebody who even lies about his roots?

4. If we elect Ed Panlilio, we'll surely become a theocracy. This early, Manong Ed already gave a series of sermons, good for the soul, bad for the body. In the two hours spent in that forum, Ed Panlilio the priest, failed in two fronts---raise our hopes and at least contribute to the body of literature about change. Nothing substantial was gleaned from Panlilio's sermons. Those are all motherhood statements. Even a first semester political science student could mouth those sorts of things.

5. If Senator Richard Gordon wins the presidency, we will surely see an administration peopled with volunteers while the money allotted to government goes to Big Business. Gordon will also pander to the public, giving them crumbs while allowing the elite to run rough-shod of every piece of change