It's still Gwen and Mike, but they can't carry BBM

Governor Gwen Garcia is still unbeatable. Ace Durano must be starting to smell defeat. Mike Rama is still way ahead too, especially in the upland barangays, but he must watch his ward leaders, Margot is inching her way to the urban grassroots level. One thing is very sure though, neither Gwen nor Mike can make BBM win in Cebu. And Mike's congressional candidates are in a very precarious situation.

BBM is a heavy burden to carry. He calls for unity but the people who know the real score would readily retort: Wasn’t it the Marcoses who caused the most widespread disunity among the people? How many political enemies did the Marcos order arrested, detained, and some tortured inside the stockades. They imprisoned Ninoy for seven years, after subjecting him to inhuman torture in Laur, Nueva Ecija. They jailed the opposition including journalists and student leaders. How many sons and daughters went missing and are still unaccounted for after 50 years? Mike's uncle, Nap Rama was jailed. Gwen's father was an anti-Marcos lawyer. And now, they are endorsing the son? My God, how can they explain that to the Cebuanos?

The Cebuanos are not stupid. We, the people of Cebu, are always independent-minded. Yes, many of us will go for Gwen because we need dynamism, passion, and hard work in the Capitol. We need a brave lady who does not kneel down to the importuning of Malacañang. But we cannot swallow BBM. Gwen is like a mom whom we love and adore but if she lays down on the table a foul-smelling exotic dish, we will politely not partake of the same. We do not even want to look at it, much less to smell it. BBM is lying all the time. He calls for unity but he does not want to pay taxes after the Supreme Court has come out with a judgment that is final and executory.

BBM has been called lazy and a liar by Vice President Leni and he never has an answer to it. Silence means admission. He has no accomplishments in Congress. He did not do well in plenary sessions and in committee hearings. He did not perform in the Senate. As governor, he was only a ceremonial head of provincial government. He left everything to his underlings and subalterns. He only appears in campaigns and elections. President Duterte called him a very weak leader, not just weak but very weak, who has not done anything good for the country. Are Mike and Gwen not bothered by their conscience to offer this kind of candidate to the good people of Cebu?

Even his late father, Marcos Sr., I have read somewhere, was quoted to have said: We are worried about our son. He needs to develop character. Yes, that was a very accurate judgment by the father of the son. BBM is a spoiled brat who was never been an employee or an employer. He does not understand the dignity and honor of labor. He has never engaged in business. He hasn’t even raised any pets or planted any crops. He is completely the spoiled son of a trapo politico who has billions with which to send BBM to London and Ivy League institutions. But where are the diplomas? Gwen is a very brilliant professional. Mike is a lawyer. In fact, he was my student. But aren't they ashamed vis-a-vis the Cebuanos for having endorsed such a lousy candidate? Oh, judgment, to quote Mark Anthony in his eulogy for Julius Caesar, where have thou gone?

Well, for supporting BBM, Gwen and Mike must have a lot of reasons we don’t know. But when they are alone with God, they must know in their hearts that men and women aren’t perfect, and BBM is perhaps is one of their monumental mistakes This notwithstanding, since we really love Gwen and Mike, with their human imperfections, we will still make them win (although we love Junjun Davide more for being consistently righteous in his choices and judgment). Ace is a good man whose time hasn’t yet come. Perhaps, he will make a good Cabinet member again.

BBM should be sent to the Caribbean or to Switzerland where he has a lot of money. He cannot go to the US. Uncle Sam does not like him. If he goes to Ukraine, neither Putin nor Zelensky will welcome him. His wife is too New York, we cannot afford her here. Let us just be with Leni and paint Malacañang pink.