Cayetano slams Escudero and other Duterte Critics

Office of the Senate Majority Leader

Alan Peter S. Cayetano

Rm. 603 GSIS Complex Senate of the Philippines Roxas Blvd Pasay City

         

PRESS RELEASE

24 November 2015

Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday slammed the critics of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, stressing that those who are maligning the mayor’s decision to run for president are afraid of losing to him in the 2016 presidential election.

"Takot na takot na sila. Parating na ang tunay na pagbabago," Cayetano said.

The Senator was reacting to recent statements issued by the camp of presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe and her running mate, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, that Duterte was merely using Poe’s disqualification case as an excuse to run, since he had long decided to seek the presidency.

“Klaro sa amin ni Mayor Duterte na hindi pwedeng tumakbong presidente ang isang hindi natural born citizen. Tama po ba na ang isang nanumpa sa Amerika, babalik dito, gusto maging Pangulo? Hindi pwedeng palampasin ito. Lalong hindi ito drama," Cayetano said.

"Kung gusto ninyo ng drama at pagkukunwari, nandyan ang Poe-Escudero. Kung gusto ninyo ng matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon, nandito po ang Duterte-Cayetano. Basta kami, we will not cheapen the presidency," Cayetano added.

Cayetano said Poe should answer directly the issues raised against her instead of hiding behind the back of Escudero.

“Hindi maaari na hindi marinig ang tinig niya lalo na kung gusto niyang maging presidente ng bansa. If this early she is already hiding behind a person, who at best is only muddling the issue lodged against her, what more if she becomes president?” Cayetano quipped.

Cayetano also defended Duterte against insinuations that the local executive may not be allowed to run as a substitute for Martin Diño, the standard-bearer of Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), of which Duterte is a member.

“To those nitpicking at the legal issues surrounding Mayor Duterte’s planned candidacy, set your sights elsewhere. Aside from Mayor Duterte being a natural-born Filipino with a long track record of public service, there are no outstanding legal issues in his bid. Under the law, substitution is allowed. The filing of the PDP-Laban is valid,” Cayetano added.

Cayetano acknowledged that the months leading to the elections could be tough for both him and Duterte, as influential individuals and groups who are afraid of the mayor’s inclusion in the race may try to launch smear campaigns against their ticket.

“We are certainly expecting it. May mga grupo na maraming pera gaya ng mga drug lords, smugglers at crime syndicates na balak magsama-sama para hadlangan ang tambalang Duterte-Cayetano sa gobyerno. Alam nilang liliit ang mundo nila. But I have faith that the people, who are sick and tired of crime and corruption, will support us all the way. Panahon na para sa matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon,” he concluded. #. #

Philippine Politics

On May 13, 2013, Filipino voters will troop to the polls to elect their candidate of choice and fill a total of 18,022 government positions. In Philippine politics the upcoming mid-term elections is a democratic process designed to fill soon to be vacated local and national positions including 12 seats in the Philippine Senate and 229 seats in the House of Representatives.

On the provincial level, 80 governors and vice-governors will be elected and with them 766 members of the Provincial Board. A total of 1,634 mayors and vice-mayors are needed by local government units (LGUs) nationwide, and a total of 13,504 councilors. The ARMM requires a governor and a vice-governor and two dozen assemblymen.

Familiar names

It is perhaps not surprising that candidates, especially in the municipality and city levels bear familiar names. Many of the hopefuls are relatives or descendants of known or incumbent politicians. Grace Poe-Llamanzares is an independent candidate running for the Senate. She is the daughter of Fernando Poe, Jr. (better known as FPJ), a revered actor who ran against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA). There are still claims that FPJ won the election against GMA in 2004 and Grace Poe is counting on fans and supporters of her father for her own bid, no doubt.

The senatorial race is characterized by other familiar names in the political scene of the past two decades, most notable of which are Angara, Aquino, Binay, Cayetano, Cojuangco, Ejercito, Magsaysay, Pimentel, Villar and Enrile. Jack Enrile, the son of current Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is running for the Senate.

They call it clan politics or traditional politics. Some use the term political dynasties. No matter what the preferred terminology is, the fact is that powerful families continue to dominate not just the national political scene but the local scene as well.

A published study in the Philippine Political Science Journal states that the 15th Philippine Congress is 70% dynastic. About 80% of the members of the Congress aged 26-40 come from political families. Similarly, political parties are dominated by political clans with ancestors and a progeny of prominent families dominating the roll call. The same study positively correlates political dynasties in areas with severe poverty and poor development. The study does not claim to be absolutely valid, but the results still reflect the current situation. And there seems to be no respite from clan politics since the newly rich and newly elected are already planting the seeds of their own dynasties.

Those who doubt the validity of the dominance of clan politics should look at the incumbent officials occupying provincial and municipal seats in Ilocos Sur, Pampanga, and Cavite (in Luzon), Cebu and Siquijor (in the Visayas), Zamboanga, and Maguindanao (in Mindanao).

Familiar faces

There were a few surprises when celebrities rumored to launch their political careers did not actually file for candidacy. Some of the best examples are TV show host Vic Sotto, actor-director Cesar Montano and actor-turned 2010 Vice-Presidentialial Candidate Edu Manzano. But there are enough familiar faces running for office that even showbiz talk shows and variety shows have more than the usual tinge of political color since the campaign period started.

Most of the personalities from show business have been in politics for so long that people remember them more for their political activities than the movies or television shows that they used to star in. There’s former President and Philippine cinema legend Joseph Estrada (popularly known as Erap), Laguna Governor “George Estregan, Jr. (award-winning character actor),” Bulacan Vice-Governor Daniel Fernando (former sexy star), incumbent Vice-Mayor of Manila Isko Moreno (dramatic actor), incumbent Mayor of Quezon City Herbert Bautista (comedian), and Paranaque City Councilor Alma Moreno (TV show host and dance diva), and Quezon City Councilor Aiko Melendez (dramatic actress), to name a few. All these familiar faces are running for office this year.

Estrada is bidding for the Mayoralty of Manila against incumbent Mayor Alfredo Lim who is in real trouble if Erap’s mass appeal has not waned. Estrada was elected the 13th President of the Republic of the Philippines. He also served as Mayor (City of San Juan), Senator, and Vice-President. He was found guilty of plunder charges and sentenced to reclusion perpetua in 2007. After the former President GMA (who is now under hospital arrest for election sabotage) granted Estrada executive clemency, he ran in the 2010 presidential race and lost. Now, he’s back on center stage, but he chose a smaller arena—the City of Manila (from President to Mayor at that).

Vilma Santos (another Philippine cinema legend and wife of Senator Ralph Recto) is hoping for another majority vote as Batangas Governor, and rumor has it that the opposition backed out of the game. Congressman and world boxing champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is back in the political ring vying for the same post. And his wife, Jinkee is now running as Vice-Governor of Sarangani.

With clan politics dominating the local and national scene and actors and actresses delving deeper and deeper into politics, we can only surmise that this is going to be a colorful, intriguing, and controversial election year.

(Taken from PHILIPPINE DAY NEWS).

CNN's Eye on The Philippines

 

Since yesterday till May 4, 2012  "Eye on The Philippines" features daily reports with Anna Coren from Manila, Batangas and Lake Taal and in-depth reportage from Kyung Lah, providing insight into this tropical country's people, politics, business and culture.

The special week of coverage culminates with a half-hour program featuring highlights from the week, airing from May 4 to May 6, 2012.

As an expatriate and journalist living in the Philippines, I am hoping that this will turn into positive things that the world has been creating negative look to the Philippines.