Publicity stunt
Last Monday, April 8, four desperately struggling senatorial candidates --Florin Hilbay, Gary Alejano, Chel Diokno, and Samira Gutoc-- embarked on what they thought would be a neat way of landing on the front pages of newspapers the very next day, April 9, a Philippine holiday celebrated as Araw ng Kagitingan, or Day of Bravery, in memory of the fall of Bataan.
The four made news all right, after being prevented by the Coast Guard from sailing to Panatag or Scarborough Shoal, a rocky outcrop in the South China Sea claimed by the Philippines but controlled by China. The four did not really mean to sail and plant the Philippine flag on Panatag. It was all just a gimmick, a publicity stunt.
How did I know? Because they alerted the media beforehand. A person bent on doing something as dangerous and daring as stabbing a forefinger right up the Chinese ass would want to do it as stealthily as possible. The slightest whiff China gets of what is going on only ensures the failure of the mission.
But Hilbay, Alejano, Diokno, and Gutoc had no real intention of actually sailing to Panatag, much less landing and planting the flag there. They are all aspiring to become members of the Philippine Senate, remember? Getting killed only ensures they will never become senators, not even posthumously. Besides, I do not think they are all ready to leave behind their loved ones.
That is why they alerted the media. They know the media cannot be trusted to keep a secret. On the contrary, bringing the press in tow is the surest way to get discovered. And they want to be discovered so they can be stopped, which is precisely what they wanted and what the Coast Guard exactly did.
Going through the motions of going to Panatag was all that the queer quartet hoped to achieve. Getting prevented from going to Panatag is almost the same as actually going, as far as the publicity value is concerned. The choice of date for their caper belied their true intent. They could have tried going April 1, but April Fools Day would not have benefitted their campaign.
But why have the four follies chosen such a stunt? Because they want to take a jab at President Duterte, whose policy, right or wrong, is to pivot toward China. But if you think it is strange for them to attack Duterte when Duterte is not even an aspirant for a senate seat, then you are gravely mistaken.
The controversial Duterte provides a convenient excuse for those who cannot win an election on their own merit. Just pay attention to the campaign thread of these four funnies. It is as if Duterte is running for the same office they so covet. They hope to win at Duterte's expense. But that is not going to happen. Even if they nail Duterte, the four are just unwinnable.
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