Panic gripping PNoy?

Latest talk in the political grapevine is that President Aquino is in panic. The cause of the panic is reportedly the impressive showing of vice presidential aspirant, Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., son and namesake of the former strongman. 

There are two indications that the talks could be true.

First, the President devoted considerable time attacking Marcos Jr. in last Thursday’s People Power event on Edsa.

Second, there are serious reports about plans to junk the Liberal Party vice presidential bet if she fails to prove she can defeat the young Marcos in the May polls.

Many wondered why PNoy made Marcos the centerpiece of his Edsa speech. His remarks were scathing. He wondered aloud why many young people today think the Marcos years were a Golden Era. He reserved his trademark patutsada for the vice presidential candidate and called out loudly to the public to stop the return of the Marcoses to power.

There is no way PNoy’s attack on the young Marcos can be viewed outside of the context of the May elections. PNoy’s was clearly a campaign speech – the negative kind. It was not meant to pitch for a candidate. It was meant to dissuade people from voting for one.

The President may have been ill advised on this move – if he ever listens to advice, that is.

Consider the following.

First, Marcos is now leading the pack of vice presidential contenders. He is some 10-percentage points ahead of the supposed Palace bet in the latest survey. This is happening despite the unrelenting social media campaign against the Marcoses.

It is obvious that the President’s tirades are part of a panic-driven strategy to prevent Marcos from winning in the May 10 elections.

A Marcos win would be a big slap on the face of the Aquinos. It would show that the Aquinos have failed in their bid to vilify the elder Marcos and that the Marcoses – despite the Aquinos’ years in power – have remained a strong political brand in this country.

What happens now if the ratings of the young Marcos should rise further after PNoy’s assault on the vice presidential candidate at Edsa? What else can the Palace do to stop a Marcos win and the prospect of a Marcos bid for the presidency six years from now?

Second, by openly campaigning against the younger Marcos, PNoy has allowed his abilities to make a candidate win or lose to be put to the test. At this point, it is clear that he is having a hard time getting his official presidential and vice presidential bets to win. Does he have what it takes to make a political adversary lose?

PNoy’s endorsement power is not even manifesting itself in the senatorial race. There are only three legitimate Palace senatorial candidates who are in the Magic 12 – Frank Drilon, Leila de Lima and TG Guingona.

Drilon, however, is set to win on his own. He does not need PNoy’s endorsement to bag a slot. Same is probably true for De Lima.

Guingona might win despite rumors that PNoy is not openly endorsing him. There are talks that Guingona had earned the President’s ire because of the senator’s probe into a deal that involved personalities close to the Chief Executive.

So, in attacking the young Marcos, PNoy may have merely confirmed speculations that the President is in panic over the specter of a Marcos win. He may have also unwittingly put his sway on voters to a test – a test he stands to lose.

The apparent panic over an impending Marcos win may have also added fire to speculations that the Palace is set to junk its own vice presidential bet.

If true, then the Palace may really be at a loss on how to stop the Marcos steamroller.

It would have been wiser if the President had opted to stay above the political fray.

By plunging into the political brawl, he stands to lose big in the May polls. If the Palace bets for president and vice president lose, this would be seen as the failure of the President’s endorsement power.

The bigger defeat of the Aquinos, however, would be a win on the part of the Marcoses. Such would be seen as the failure of PNoy’s ability to rally the public to his side on a political cause that serves his personal interest.

That expensive Edsa celebration was clearly an anti-Marcos political rally.

The money should have been better spent for political advertising to help the Palace bets get a few more votes.

The Aquinos may have needlessly spent that money to simply underscore the weakening of their political power.