The downfall of RP's Three Kings and the Effects of a Grace Poe candidacy in Mar Roxas' destiny of being King

The downfall of the Three Kings, the Possible Candidacy of Grace Poe and its effects in Mar Roxas’ destiny of being King himself
By Ricky Rivera

In the summer of 2013, three public personalities came out and announced the possible victory in the political arena of their new alliance. Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile, former president Joseph “Erap” Estrada and Makati mayor Jejomar Binay went out and declared themselves the “Three Kings”.

A year later, this new group of so-called political royalties was practically wiped out in the political scene. Enrile is now in jail, Binay is facing numerous accusations of graft and corruption while Erap now faces possible ouster from his post as Manila mayor. Binay has since declared himself independent of his former political party, the PDP-Laban while Enrile has since left the United Nationalist Alliance which he joined alongside his good friend, Erap Estrada.

Rumors are swirling that Erap may be ousted from his post this January the minute a Supreme Court decision comes out which disqualifies him from the post. Sources say, the decision came from the case filed by defeated mayoral candidate Alfredo Lim, a former Erap political ally. Lim argued that Erap’s “pardon” attaches a caveat of not participating in any electoral exercise.

If this happens, then its 2001 again for Erap, who was ousted in a January mutiny, 13 years ago. 13, according to close friends of Erap, is really a bad number for the former president who is also reputed to be a strong believer of numerology.

What happens to the “opposition” if Erap loses his post and the only “king” left is Vice president Jejomar Binay?

Speculations are rife that the “Powers-that-be” are likewise planning, nay already salivating, of seeing Binay behind bars prior to 2016. The anti-Binay camp is silent, probably creating and calculating their next moves. What is most certain is that this group will try and get Binay come February, shortly after the Papal visit and maneuver to cause the filing of a criminal case against the vice president come April. A criminal case will surely prevent Binay from running in 2016. Failure to do this means Binay running for the presidential post and possibly snatching the top post if he runs against Poe.

Poe, according to several sources, is being courted actively by the President himself. There is a possibility that Pnoy will repeat what his mother did in 1992---announce his support for Mar Roxas and then shifting it to Poe, if the senator throws her hat unto the political ring.

The problem with a Poe candidacy is her lack of grassroots machinery. Remember that in 2010, Poe ran using Chiz Escudero’s network. If Poe runs, surely Escudero will definitely be not far behind. Is the administration pushing for a Poe-Escudero tandem? The possibility is not impossible. With Escudero’s vaulted grassroots machinery paired with the administration’s and financed by fat bonuses from the 2015 national budget, the win is as sure as day.

What then happens to Mar, whom sources say, considers the 2016 as his key ticket towards his supposed “destiny”—that of the presidency?

Hard core Liberals will surely push Mar to declare his candidacy. He will run with a candidate from the Nacionalista Party, possibly either Alan Peter Cayetano or Antonio Trillianes IV. Or if Mar’s ratings continue its slide, the NP may even consider fielding their own candidate, which, most likely, would be their president, former senator Manny Villar. More on this later.

What is most certain is that a Poe candidacy is like a monkey wrench thrown at the administration party. Many Liberals are thinking of pairing Mar with Poe (Roxas-Poe tandem or RP Team), which some of Poe’s close advisers would probably agree. Running for the vice-presidential post is Poe’s safest bet. For one, Poe is a sure winner, a vice presidential run is not as costly as a presidential and this is a possible “win-win” solution.

Why is it that the administration is betting for a Poe? One, many members of the Aquino administration are banking on her support post-Aquino. Surely the president does not want to suffer the same fate as that of Gloria’s.

Aquino and his cabinet members feel safe with Poe which they feel will not fight their interests post-Noynoy. They don’t feel the same way with Binay. The on-going power struggle between the Binay faction which is composed of several groups closely allied with the Aquino family and those of the Hyatt 10 or Balai group has already turned personal and surely, the Balai group will definitely not allow themselves to be tagged or persecuted after Noynoy.

Poe is a logical choice because she appears to be not a real political threat, much the same way, political bigwigs perceived Noli de Castro, who won the vice presidential post inspite of being connected with former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Yes, Poe is popular but she does not have real power or real weight as a political player. Anytime, Poe can be demolished by her enemies through accusations of corruption. Poe knows that the formula that worked to demolish Loren Legarda applies even to her. She cannot forever hide behind the contrived belief that she is a Poe—a daughter of former presidentiable Fernando Poe Jr. There will be a time when her name will be disassociated with the good name of her surrogate father and eventually cause her downfall in the political arena.

With Poe as a potential administration candidate paired with Roxas, there is a strong chance of winning the presidency once more for the true beneficiaries of the Tuwid na daan—the political families which back this administration and have consolidated their political and economic bases to perpetuate their hold unto the economy and the political state.

Jejomar Binay and his mistress--a non-issue? C'mon Mr. B!

When Jejomar Binay's photos with his alleged paramour surfaced, the vice presidential bet just quickly shrugged it off and accused media of sensationalizing a "non-political issue". The mayor dictator of Makati for two decades admitted his infidelity and tried to brush off the issue by saying that it's in the past and for media to "dignify" a "black propaganda" smacks of "tabloid-ism". And Binay said it to respected ABS-CBN journalist Henry Omaga-Diaz.

Is it really "tabloid" material for us, Filipino journalists? Let me elucidate it for Mr. Mayor Binay, who is now running for the second highest post of the land.

As a resident of Makati, I have the right to know if this woman mistress of yours even dabbled in Makati politics and projects for the past two decades. I have the right to know if she influenced your decisions and the biddings for projects in the City of Makati.

We don't care if you spent years with her, went to Australia and other cities around the world with this woman--that is not the point.

The point we want to know is--DID SHE OR DID SHE NOT INFLUENCED YOU IN YOUR DECISION TO GRANT CONCESSIONS TO SOME GROUPS IN MAKATI AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR TAX MONEY? Was your mind clouded by her beauty in the past?

Was she your "dummy" or did you use her to probably siphon off some of the largesse you amassed as mayor-dictator of Makati, as some alleged? Some politicians do it as a way to reportedly "hide" their "take" in some "illegal ventures".

I hope this did not happen to Mr. Binay because it affects us, voters of Makati. Surely, this shows you what kind of leader Mr. Binay is.

And since Mr. Binay has been forthwith with us, will you then reveal or admit to us Mr. Binay how much money you spent with her? If what you spent with her exceeds your annual income as a mayor, then, where did you get all those monies in support of your young PYT?

Voters have the right to know what kind of morality will you be bringing to the office of the Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines. Moreso, we voters have the right to know whether you'll succumb to the wiles or temptations of the office, as what you did when you reign in Makati for two decades.

The Palace is full of temptations. Every Tom, Dick and Harry with their multi-million peso contracts will try to approach you and tempt you Mr. Binay not just with untold riches, but with beautiful women of all kinds and sizes.

With his admission, Mr. Binay has just shown us what kind of governance he'll bring to the Ofice of the VP. Expect corruption to rise my beloved countrymen if Binay is elected into office.

This is not black propaganda Mr. Binay---this just shows how weak you are as a husband, as a person and as a leader. Are we just shrugging this off, my fellow Filipinos and just say that every single married guy undergoes the same thing as what Binay wanted us to believe?

C'mon, Binay is not an ordinary guy. He's the mayor of the most prosperous city in the Philippines and now asking for our support to become our Vice President. We are sick and tired of all these kinds of politicians asking us to forgive them of their infidelities when these same acts are already signs given to us by GOD that they are not really fit to serve us.

Noynoy will announce his candidacy tomorrow?

Tomorrow, we'll know the decision of Senator Noynoy Aquino whether to run or not for the presidency. Noynoy has been preparing for this day and there is some certainty that he will. Now, his media group has been very busy populating the public sphere with pronouncements alleging that groups are converging behind him. However, if you look closely, these groups are those actually aligned with the Liberal Party already and there is no new group registering their support behind him.

Better if Noynoy and his handlers just keep mum on this so-called "groundswell". First, they got burned when they trumpeted the entry of the so-called FPJM of Manny Portes in their group. Grace Poe, daughter of the late FPJ, disowned the group, even saying that it does not have any members, which, is true. FPJM of Portes is different from the original FPJPM, which has about 900,000 members nationwide.

Second, the more they say that there's a groundswell, the more people doubt about it. Where's the groundswell except in the minds of those who believe in the re-invigoration of the Cory magic? Better for them to just keep on organizing and making people sign that petition that Ed Roces made a few weeks ago. That is more in keeping with the strategy of the Cory volunteers in the 80's.

There are rumours that Makati mayor Jejomar Binay is being lured to support Noynoy. Binay owe the Aquinos his political career. Cory was the one who appointed him as Makati administrator. And Binay once handled the senatorial campaign of Noynoy. Some people expect him to help Noynoy get the presidency. But, Binay's hands are tied. He's aligned with former president Joseph Estrada and the only thing that Binay promises to do is be the bridge between Erap and Noynoy's group. And I think that Binay will fail in this one because Erap's backers are dead serious on him running for the presidency.

Noynoy's campaign will get a big boost if a big political personality with a legitimate grassroots network will throw his support behind the Noypi.