Why Aquino should be allowed a 2nd term
I have no objection, personally, to giving President Aquino another term—if only to prevent Vice President Jejomar Binay from being elected president. The trouble is the Constitution prohibits a reelection for the president. And P-Noy himself has said more than once that he is against changing the Constitution that his own mother had caused to be written and promulgated when she was the president. The people, too, are wary of amending the Constitution. They do not trust the present crop of politicians touching the Constitution. We never know what other amendments they would sneak in to benefit themselves—such as institutionalizing the pork barrel, abolishing term limits, removing the limitations on their salaries, lifting the ban on political dynasties, etc.
On the other hand, P-Noy is the first good president we have had in decades. His fight against corruption is bringing fruit, and the chances of him being succeeded by somebody who is free from charges of corruption and will continue the reforms that he has started is very dim in Binay.
The President himself, in his latest State of the Nation Address, asked the people to choose as his successor a candidate who would, without any doubt, continue his “straight path” policies. He could not have been referring to Binay who not only has two graft and corruption cases pending against him; members of his family, specifically his wife, son, and daughter, are also facing corruption charges. P-Noy could not have been referring to Binay when he said that.
On the contrary, he could have been telling the people to choose anybody but Binay, who has been leading the opinion polls. And recent developments belie the results of those surveys.
Binay’s recent actions hint that he is not too sure of himself despite the opinion polls. For weeks, he has been telling media that he was amenable to being adopted as the presidential candidate by the administration Liberal Party. When nobody took the bait, he suddenly told reporters that he “has heard” (note: he only heard) that the LP is thinking of “adopting” him; a fact that was quickly denied by leaders of the LP.
Senate President Franklin Drilon, vice chair of the LP, said that they never talked about it, and that the LP standard bearer would be Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, titular head of the LP. In his latest statement to the press, Binay said he is amenable to having Roxas as his running mate in 2016.
But Iloilo Rep. Jerry Treñas, deputy chair of the LP Visayas parliamentary caucus, said there is no place for Binay in the ruling party and that Binay has to share the party’s straight path ideals for the party to even consider adopting him.
Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice doubts P-Noy would endorse Binay. Binay would not meet the standards set by the LP, Erice said. “It is very doubtful that Binay would continue the President’s reforms,” Erice added.
If he, Binay, “is really leading the surveys, then why is he desperately trying to get the support of the Liberal Party?” Erice asked. “Why is he desperately trying to get Mar Roxas into the picture. Why is he desperately trying to get the President’s anointment?”
“It would be awkward for the President to be endorsing somebody whose party-mates and allies were indicted for plunder for the pork barrel scam,” when P-Noy’s program is to get rid of all forms of corruption, he added.
Binay, apparently, had been able to get the ears of P-Noy’s sisters who endorsed him as their brother’s potential successor, which probably had Binay jumping for joy and turning somersaults. Family ties transcend politics, the Aquino sisters said.
Do the sisters realize that they have put the President in an embarrassing and awkward position? Do they realize the serious implications of their endorsement of Binay? They want their brother to renege on his commitment to the LP and Roxas who gallantly gave up the LP presidential candidacy to give it to P-Noy. Do they want their brother to be an ingrate? The legacy of their parents does not vest them the right or privilege to choose his successor. Kris, who has been wrong several times in choosing husbands, has gone overboard again. She is wrong again in choosing her presidential candidate.
The Binay at present is not the same poor human rights lawyer who supported their mother. He is very rich now, as shown by his statement of assets, Liabilities and net worth. Binay’s income comes only from his salaries as a public official. He has no business where he could have gotten his riches. So where did he got those riches? Binay has not bothered to even try to explain them. That’s the man who wants to be the next president?
