Local candidates are known by the national bets they endorse

Tell me who is your chosen candidate for president and vice president, and I will tell you who you are. Your persona is defined partly by your choices because such a crucial decision is reflective of your own character, your own values as a public official. Will you select one who has been allegedly convicted by the Court of Appeals, and who was called by President Duterte himself as a weak leader, over a brave and honest lawyer, a UP graduate, and a hardworking vice president? I am sure that former mayor Tomas Osmeña is supporting VP Leni and perhaps, Tito Sotto.

Our governors and mayors must really ponder on this. Don't tell me that you cannot do anything purportedly because this is the decision of the party. If your party is PDP Laban, the last time I checked, this party of Cusi has no official candidate. For that reason, Cusi and his underlings were trying to maneuver for the reopening of the time for filing of candidacy. You and I know, of course, that such a preposterous motion was forthwith thrown away by the Commission on Elections. And rightly so, we hasten to interject. And so, if your party has no official candidate, what would lead you to support BBM who was even ridiculed, criticized by the president himself? BBM is not the official candidate of PDP Laban, whether it is the Cusi or the Pimentel wing. In fact, the latter is supporting Manny Pacquiao.

We wish to remind the local candidates too that even if you win, you cannot guarantee that you can carry your national candidates to victory. I have palpable evidence to support my opinion. In 2016, the governors of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor did not endorse VP Leni. But Robredo got more votes than Marcos in all the provinces in Central Visayas. VP Leni defeated Marcos by more than one million votes in Region 6 alone, and Marcos lost to VP Leni in Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Guimaras, and overwhelmingly in Negros Occidental. In addition Leni won over Marcos in Northern Mindanao, Western Mindanao and in Caraga. She defeated Marcos in Regions 5, 4-a and 4-b.

In Region 8, supposedly the bailiwick of the Marcoses, VP Leni won over Marcos in Southern Leyte, and in Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and Samar (western). The Warays rejected Marcos then when Leni was a virtual unknown. For Cebuanos, check the official figures. Leni got 807,922 winning over Cayetano and Marcos who just had 307,678 in Cebu Province. Marcos was “massacred” in our province despite his millions and his minions. In Cebu City, Leni got 162,285 over Marcos' measly 91,888. Leni got 53,604 in Mandaue City over Marcos’ 21,464 in third place. Leni topped in Lapu-Lapu City with 63,766. Third-placer Marcos got a thin 21,104. That was the time when Leni was a neophyte representative from the remote district in Camarines Sur. Now that she is incumbent vice president, how can she lose to Marcos?

In Bohol, Leni got 273,589 over third-placer Marcos' 79,724. In Southern Leyte, VP Leni garnered 93,352 over Marcos 32,208, third place. In Northern Samar, the votes were VP Leni 110,230, and Marcos 72,152. In Eastern Leyte, the votes were VP Leni 93,136, Marcos 54,175. In Samar, VP Leni got 132,493 and Marcos had 128,088. In Iloilo, VP Leni made Marcos eat the dust so to say with 706,052 to BBM's only 127,434. In Capiz, Leni got 244,481 while Marcos had 42,539 only. In Aklan, Leni got 149,611 while Marcos only got 50,780. In Antique, Leni garnered 115,584 while Marcos had 43,773 only. In Guimaras, Leni had 56,249, while all that Marcos got was 7,853 Look at Negros Occidental, Leni got 715,174 while Marcos only got 159,667. In Negros Oriental, Leni had 254,297 and Marcos 100,286 only. In Siquijor, Leni got 30,468 and Marcos a mere 5,746 as the poor third placer.

The people themselves are supporting VP Leni. They spend their own money and they are not "hakot" or bought voters. I can hear the beating of the drums. The voters vote for their governors and mayors. But in choosing the president and vice president, they insist on their freedom to choose the best, rather than the shady one.