Process of elimination

It has become very clear to many that the presidential campaign of Mar Roxas depends on the elimination of his rivals.

After all, it is highly doubted that Roxas will win the presidency if he fights fair and square.

He may be a nice guy in person but c’mon, his performance record as a public official is forgettable and terrible. All the people can think about is how he handled the Typhoon Yolanda crisis when he was DILG secretary, how our mass transport system (MRT and LRT) fared when he was DOTC secretary. When he was head of the Department of Trade and Industry from 2000-2003, I remember the reporters covering the beat as saying that all he knows is how to make pa-pogi.

At least now, he has the benefit of government resources and machinery on his side.

Lawyer Estrella Elamparo, who has filed a disqualification case against Sen. Grace Poe, has been linked by vice-presidential aspirant Chiz Escudero to Roxas’ group. They say that Elamparo, who used to be Government Service Insurance System chief legal counsel, is connected with the Divina law firm which was used by known Roxas supporter Atty. Nonong Cruz in a case filed by the latter against his former CVC Law partner Pancho Villaraza.

And of course we know that the Supreme Court, the Commission on Elections, and other quasi-judicial agencies are filled with supporters of President Aquino who is supporting Roxas in the latter’s bid to be the next president.

Poe has already been hit twice by the LP-controlled Comelec. Last Dec. 1, the Comelec second division decided to disqualify her for not being a natural-born Filipino citizen. And then last Friday, the commission’s first division decided to cancel Poe’s certificate of candidacy.

I remember Poe’s chief of staff as saying in one of his FB posts that Comelec members should at least find time to read the evidence submitted.

According to Poe, despite the fact that their camp has submitted all the evidence needed to prove her citizenship and residency requirements, the Comelec first division still chose to ignore the facts.

As one observer noted, the Supreme Court will decide who the next president is going to be. And may I add – with the help of the Comelec. The next president by default.

Another presidential race contender, Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte also faces the likelihood of being eliminated from the race because of questions being raised regarding the legality of his substituting Martin Dino as the PDP standard bearer.

And then of course there is Vice-President Jejomar Binay who, despite his immunity from suit, is having his fair share of harassment suits such as the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC)’s failed attempt to freeze one bank account of Binay.

His camp has told me that inspite of a law that prohibits forfeitures against public officials within a year prior to elections and of course his immunity from suit, Binay has volunteered not to touch his account until all questions are settled.

This upcoming presidential election is one for the books. The top contenders for the post are not even sure, five months before the polls, whether their name will be included in the ballot or not. At least in the United States they are talking about major national issues, despite some muck-raking on the side. This should be one argument in favor of a two-party system.

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