A formidable tandem

THE PROPOSED tandem of Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte and Sen. Bongbong Marcos would be a formidable combination.

It’s a “Solid South” (Mindanao) for Duterte and “Solid North” (Ilocano-speaking provinces in Luzon) for Marcos, plus his mother Imelda’s loyal constituents in Leyte and Samar provinces.

Almost the whole of Mindanao would vote for Duterte—that is, if  he runs  for President—because he is a Mindanaoan.

The Cebuano-speaking provinces in the Visayas—Cebu, Bohol, Southern Leyte, Siquijor and Negros Oriental—would also go for Duterte.

Davao City, like most provinces in Mindanao, is home to many Cebuano-speaking people.

Residents of Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces plagued by the problems of drugs and criminality, would vote for Duterte.

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People, except those who are rabidly anti-Marcos, should not take the sins of deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos, against the son.

Many voters are young and didn’t experience martial law.

Besides, why blame the child for the sins of his parents?

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Some people’s perspectives change with time. And so do their principles.

Before the Edsa Revolution in 1986 in which he was one of the major players, Sen. Gringo Honasan, then an Army lieutenant colonel, hated corrupt generals and full-fledged colonels holding key positions.

I was a friend of Gringo then, and once I dropped by for a visit in his office at Camp Aguinaldo beside the then Ministry of Defense building.

At that time, I was  a police reporter and columnist of another newspaper.

Honasan took me into his confidence and lectured me and his close buddy, Times Journal reporter Cecilio Arillo, about the corruption during the Marcos regime.

The young “L.T. Col” (lieutenant colonel) went into a tirade about how young officers like him had no chance of going up the military ladder because of overstaying generals.

He then pointed to some piranhas in his aquarium at the office—yes sir, he owned several piranhas, although it is illegal to do so—and gave them the name of some Philippine Constabulary regional commanders and Regional Unified Command chiefs who at that time were known to be corrupt.

“It’s time we changed the system in the Armed Forces and the whole country,” Honasan said.

This was months before the Edsa Revolution in February 1986 and Arillo and I did not have any idea that something was afoot.

Fast forward to this day: Honasan may agree to become Vice President Jojo Binay’s running mate.

As you can see, Binay is facing plunder charges in the Office of the Ombudsman.

Reports say Binay is one of the most corrupt officials of the land—I’m not saying he’s corrupt, just citing reports—and this reputation would have made Honasan, if he hasn’t changed his principles, keep his distance from the vice president and not even touch him with a 10-foot pole.

Binay is courting Honasan to become his vice presidential candidate, and the latter is saying he is still consulting with his family.

But knowing Jane, the senator’s wife, she would advise against it.

Normally, a wife doesn’t easily change her principles.

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Senate President Frank Drilon’s +42 public satisfaction rating in the latest Social Weather Station survey overtook that of President Noynoy and Vice President Jojo.

Drilon deserves the people’s accolade because he’s sincere and hardworking.