LP vs UNA: ‘A case of David vs Goliath’

Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile . JUNNY ROY / SENATE POOL

The senatorial slate to be fielded in the midterm elections next year by the combined forces of Vice President Jejomar Binay and former President Joseph Estrada against the ruling coalition could be a match between “David and Goliath,” according to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

Enrile compared the Biblical story between the young David, then soon-to-be-king of Israel, and Philistine’s giant and fearsome warrior Goliath to the coming electoral battle in 2013 during an interview over dzBB.

In the next senatorial race, the Binay-Estrada forces, being in the opposition, would represent David, while the senatorial ticket to be formed by President Benigno Aquino III’s Liberal Party (LP) would take the place of Goliath because of the latter’s control over the resources needed to secure  victory for the President’s candidates, Enrile said.

‘Winnability’

Enrile, who is allied with Estrada’s party, said he was not discounting the “winnability” of those running on the slate of Binay and Estrada.

Binay’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) has formally joined forces with Estrada’s Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) to form the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

“Baka sakali si David magtatagumpay, anong malay mo (David might win, who knows)?”

The Senate chief claimed it was but “natural” for political parties to talk about electoral mergers “because they want to present their ticket for the coming elections in 2013.”

“That is the process of democracy in our country,” said Enrile, explaining that these merger talks were being pursued “everyday.”

The Senate president refrained from commenting on whether the Binay-Estrada ticket could easily beat LP’s slate.

“I don’t know if…(you are) referring to money, referring to organization, referring to popularity? What do you mean…there are a lot of factors involved (in elections)?”

“Of course, they hold the government, the money of the people, the bureaucracy—all the resources,” said Enrile,

But he added: “Politics is a function of the attitude of the people at any given time in the life of the country.”

In the epic battle between David and Goliath, the much weaker and younger David prevailed over the battle-tested giant. This, said Enrile, underscores the possibility that the   underdog could win in an electoral contest against the powers-that-be.

Pimentel vs Zubiri

On emerging tensions in the opposition party over the possible of inclusion of Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri  in the UNA line-up, Enrile said it would be the directorate of PMP and PDP-Laban that would decide on the matter.

Reports that Estrada had invited Zubiri (formerly with the Lakas-Kampi party) into the ticket has unsettled reelectionist Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who fought a long electoral protest against Zubiri’s claim on the 12th Senate slot in the 2007 election. Zubiri stepped down on Aug. 3, 2011, eight days before the Senate Electoral Tribunal declared Pimentel the rightful winner.

Pimentel, one of the leaders of PDP-Laban, will run on the Binay-Estrada ticket. He has expressed dismay over the possibility of running on the same ticket as Zubiri,   who was the reason he waited four years before he could assume his Senate post.

Pimentel’s feelings

“We respect the feelings of Koko, but in the end the one who will decide is the directorate of the coalition,” said Enrile.

Aside from Zubiri, another former Lakas-Kampi member being mentioned for inclusion in the UNA ticket  is  Zambales Representative Milagros “Mitos” Magsaysay.

The Estrada-Binay coalition slate could  also reportedly include San Juan Representative Jose Victor Ejercito, Cagayan Representative Juan Ponce “Jack” Enrile Jr., Joey de Venecia, Ernesto Maceda and reelectionist Senators Gregorio Honasan, Francis Escudero, Loren Legarda and Alan Peter Cayetano;  former Senator Jamby Madrigal, and Ma. Lourdes Nancy Binay, the eldest daughter of the Vice President.

Talks are being pursued to formalize political tie-ups for local electoral contests as well.