Keep focused

The leftist Makabayan bloc is once more true to form. They had never been reliable political allies, and they have miscalculated their political moves in the past, notably in the election between Marcos and Cory.

They never figured the EDSA uprising would happen and that it would successfully send the dictator packing. They were left out when People Power happened.

But they were clever enough to trick Cory to free Joma and other political prisoners. Joma and company fled to Europe and resumed their war against the government, even if it was headed by someone who freed them.

The Makabayan bloc in Congress is the supposedly legal arm of the national democratic movement, whose mission is to wage parliamentary struggle. They have enough support to win sectoral representation, but not national. There is no doubt what their ultimate objective is.

The Makabayan bloc is far from being principled. They are as politically opportunistic as your typical pork-loving politicians. They supported Duterte in 2016 calling him progressive and socialist; Gringo Honasan and Ping Lacson, who waged war against the left in 2004; they denounced Erap as corrupt, but welcomed Erap’s support of Neri Colmenares in 2015, and they were also allies of GMA.

It is just as well that they showed their true colors early so VP Leni is under no illusion they are dependable. They got the attention they wanted by raising this ruckus about Colmenares being left out and traditional politicians included in VP Leni’s senatorial slate.

I think Neri is a good candidate for the Senate. I might have even voted for him in the past. I like his persistence in fiscalizing the administration, whoever the president may be. And he is often reasonable when he brings up an issue.

But as Neri himself so well puts it, inclusion in the ticket is totally Leni’s prerogative.

Indeed, the Makabayan bloc itself has not decided who to support for president. They have been flirting a lot with Isko and even pushed for Isko, not Leni, in 1Sambayan where they are supposedly a part of.

As someone observed on social media, “the essential question is what the left finds in Moreno, but not Robredo, and what they found in Duterte and not Roxas. They want instability rather than progress? Their constituency is rabble-rousers, not builders?”

How can they expect the group organizing Leni’s candidacy to feel comfortable nominating Neri when Makabayan itself has not endorsed her? But credit them with being savvy enough to cause a social media furor that threatens the Leni campaign this early.

I suspect they may even secretly favor a Marcos presidency because that means the underground struggle will gain steam faster. Marcos junior, who is so undisciplined as to have failed to earn a college degree despite all the resources and opportunities, will likely create a mess that makes a revolutionary moment more imminent. That’s what the left had been dreaming of.

If Leni wins and she is able to clean up the government and deliver public services efficiently, that may just drive the leftist insurgency out of business. The messier the government, the happier the extreme leftists are.

I know the Leni senatorial ticket is confusing many of her idealistic supporters who are expecting a total break from politics as usual. But they did call for a united opposition, didn’t they? That means Leni must live with all shades of characters, even as she makes sure she is not tainted by the sins of traditional politics.

It does raise eyebrows that Trillanes and Binay are on the same ticket. And Gordon and de Lima are running together, too, as if they have been friends forever. Politics is addition, and getting as broad a base of candidates should benefit the campaign.

The purists are dismayed by Gordon’s presence as they have not forgotten how Gordon supposedly tried to cover up for Duterte until only very recently. But even sinners get forgiveness. Gordon has more than repented and done penance for his sins to the point Duterte is after him now.

The euphoria surrounding the Leni launch shouldn’t make her supposed supporters too confident. VP Leni is still very much the underdog, with the dictator’s son and Isko in the lead. They cannot afford all the angry recriminations over the senatorial ticket. It damages Leni’s image as a unifier.

It is best to keep focused on the mission to elect Leni next year. A whole nation still needs convincing they shouldn’t go for evil or the lesser evil when good is available.

In any case, everyone is free to pick whoever one wants to support for senator whether part of the ticket or not. That’s what we have always done. Let us also not forget that if Leni wins, she needs congressional support and that’s what the composition of her ticket is also about.

The left should not be allowed to sabotage Leni’s campaign. The attack from Makabayan is a diversion and Leni’s group must keep their eyes focused on the real ballgame.

I like the comment of Dr. Nuelle Duterte, who must be so frustrated reading about all the bangayan going on:

“To me, Leni Robredo represents hope. She goes the extra mile beyond just doing her duty. She’s willing to venture into the trenches and hear what people, who often don’t get heard, want to say. Looking at the other candidates, she’s the best option I can see.

“In politics, there’s always that part of strategy that a lot of people will dislike, or hate. But it’s reality. Everyone who’s part of that system knows this.

“I don’t begrudge anyone wanting to wait and see some more to fully discern what the next step should be. I don’t see anything wrong with criticizing the choices presented on Friday. Please do, that’s what makes you all thoughtful and considerate voters…”

Leni’s supporters should keep their attention focused on the objective: Let the good win over the evil and the lesser evil. Everything else is just noise that distracts them from the real objective.

Boo Chanco’s email address is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco