Duterte-Marcos victory, a double whammy on PNoy

Barely a month before the May polls, two candidates appear to be set to break from the pack. 

Two very recent surveys showed that Davao City Mayor Digong Duterte now leads all aspirants for the presidential post, with as much as a 5 percentage points ahead of his closest rival in voter preference. Sen. Bongbong Marcos enjoys the same situation in the vice presidential race.

By most indications, it will be Duterte versus Sen. Grace Poe in the homestretch.

In the vice presidential race, it looks like Congresswoman Leni Robredo has what it takes to finally overtake erstwhile pack leader Sen. Chiz Escudero. That would make it a tight contest between Marcos and Robredo in the vice-presidential contest going to the final lap.

The way both contests are shaping up, the future ex-president – who has gained renewed notoriety for being absent when his presence counts most – must be having sleepless nights.

If our analysis is correct, the future ex-president must now be preparing to throw everything that the administration can to ensure a Poe-Robredo victory at the very least.

Why a Poe victory?

The reasons are both emotional and practical. The future ex-president does not and will never feel comfortable having Duterte as his successor. He has gone out of his way to malign the Davao City mayor. It is unlikely the latter would go out of his way to protect the future ex-president’s interest once the latter steps down from office.

The future ex-president is mostly likely more comfortable with Poe. In fact, there are reports that he has met with FPJ’s daughter very recently at Bahay Pangarap. That meeting would definitely not be about the weather. If, indeed, that gab took place, it can only be about a post-election scenario.

Poe had earlier gone out of her way to underscore that the President is her “friend.” That was not an innocent remark. Given the time and circumstances, that statement was a political signal to certain very important target audiences.

While Liberal Party stalwarts continue to exude unexplainable confidence that former Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas may still emerge the winner, at this point it looks like the current ranking in the two most recent surveys indicate how the pack will be arranged nearing the finish line.

The future ex-president may have more chances of his hopes being fulfilled in Robredo.

It is expected that the Palace will now pay more attention to getting Robredo to catch up with frontrunner Marcos.

A Duterte-Marcos victory in the polls would be a double whammy on the future ex-president.

We can only commiserate with him.

Based on latest developments, it appears the future ex-president has begun to feel an impending double loss – the kind he fears most. Some observers say the absence of this man on occasions where a presidential presence is most needed indicates that he may have succumbed to bouts with depression.

We hope this is not true. We wish the outgoing occupant of Malacanang well.

However, we can only understand his situation. He had gone out of his way to make this election an unofficial referendum on the Marcos-Aquino feud.

If Bongbong wins, he would see that as a slap in the face and a public rejection of anything and everything bitter he had said about Marcos Jr. and the latter’s late father.

We believe a Marcos win would be more painful for the man than the looming debacle of Roxas in the May polls.

A Marcos win would prove that Marcos is the strongest political brand in the country today.

The way it looks, Marcos voters are those who do not need to answer the question “why.”

It is also baffling that despite the heavy and well-organized opposition to Marcos Jr.’s vice presidential bid, his ratings steadily moved up. It appears that no amount of black propaganda and demolition could prevent voters from giving him the nod.

There must still be strong magic and promise in the Marcos name.

Three decades ago, that “magic” belonged to the outgoing Malacanang occupant’s mother.

That “magic” helped elect two presidents, including the son.

That magic, however, clearly never transferred to the son.

The son hardly ever got his favorite bets to win, particularly in local elections.

Now, the most painful rejection of all appears to be coming the son’s way.