Miriam returns to campaign

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – After missing the campaign for a month, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago returned yesterday to her old stomping grounds at the University of the Philippines in Iloilo to declare that the anti-cancer medicine she takes is working, making her prepared to unmask her rivals who are “not qualified to become president of the country.”

“What right do they have to run?” she asked in native Hiligaynon, referring to their competence and, without dropping a name, bringing a “codigo” (cheat sheet) during a presidential debate.

Santiago said she decided to run because God has given her a chance to live despite stage four cancer, adding that she asked God to get her but nobody came to kill her.

The Ilongga senator, known for her feistiness, also challenged her opponents to take the UP entrance and IQ tests to determine their competence in running the country. 

Despite her apparent frailty, Santiago did not disappoint and regaled the crowd with her usual pickup lines.

“Why would I want to be president? I studied very hard at UP until I almost got cross-eyed,” she said.

Santiago and her runningmate Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. were guests at a candidate forum hosted by UP Iloilo.

Asked about her low ratings in pre-election surveys, she said some people no longer believed in surveys, which sometimes omit her name.

Marcos welcomed the return of his runningmate on the campaign trail and expressed confidence that Santiago will finally touch base with the grass roots.

“I am the luckiest of all vice president to have Senator Santiago as my runningmate,” he said. 

He added that Santiago, who topped school-based poll surveys, would pull a surprise come Election Day.

“Contrary to the pre-election surveys, she has a strong support among the youth,” Marcos said.

Marcos is glad Santiago introduced him in Iloilo, just as he introduced her during the Feb. 9 proclamation rally in Batac, Ilocos Norte.

‘Let people decide’

Meanwhile, Sen. Gregorio Honasan has urged the critics of his colleague and rival Marcos to let the Filipino people do the judging on May 9.

“If they want to elect him vice president, it’s their choice. Let’s tell our story and history and let the people decide,” he told ABS-CBN News Channel.

Honasan, who is among those running against Marcos for the vice presidency, was a key player in the military-backed 1986 Edsa people power revolt that ended the regime of dictator Ferdinand Marcos and forced the Marcoses, including the young Marcos Jr., to seek asylum in Hawaii.

Liberal Party vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo earlier warned the nation that it would become the world’s laughingstock if it elects Marcos.

With the abuses of the Marcos regime and the estimated $10 billion ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses, Robredo said, the country should have perpetually banned all family members from occupying public office.

Former first lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos is a representative for Ilocos Norte, where her daughter Imee is governor.

Asked if the Marcos family has hidden wealth, Honasan said he did not know.

“But Bongbong is correct in saying he cannot return to the government what he does not have,” he said.

Honasan said he hopes to win the vice presidency despite his low survey numbers and with only three weeks to go before election.

He considers his being “a good soldier, senator, father, husband and grandfather” as an advantage over vice presidential candidates Alan Peter Cayetano, Antonio Trillanes IV, Robredo and Marcos.

In Bacolod City, Marcos assured Mayor Monico Puentevella of help for the construction of an additional 500 meters to the runway of the Bacolod airport so it could accommodate international flights.

“I know him, we were together in Congress for many years. I know how he works. Whenever I ask for his help for Bacolod, he is always there. I know him, he will help us,” Puentevella told members of the media after Marcos paid him a courtesy call. 

He said the airport needs to be improved because people in Negros still go to either Manila or Cebu for flights abroad.

Although Negros is considered a bailiwick of the Liberal Party, Marcos said he is confident of winning in the island region. – With Jess Diaz, Jennifer Rendon