IT seems that the party system in our country has stopped gasping for breath and is now buried six feet under the ground. Nowadays, political parties are no longer defined by party ideology and principles but by colors. They are blue, orange, green, pink, yellow and more colors than the rainbow. This state of affairs highlights the fact that our politics is based on personalities rather than on issues.
During the Commonwealth years when our leaders were being trained for leadership and the art of government, there was a strict dichotomy between opposing parties. One is either an “anti” or “pro,” for independence or federalism and statehood, and a “unipersonalista” or “collectivista.” This was the time of Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña, Sr., Manuel Roxas and Claro M. Recto, Jose P. Laurel and Camilo Osias and Juan Sumulong when the word of a politician was bankable. At present, it is easier to run under more than one party since there are no fundamental differences in terms of party platform and programs among the various parties. The practice of inviting guest candidates has been in our system for sometime now, as in the case of Claro M. Recto who was a guest candidate of the Liberal Party following his feud with President Ramon Magsaysay who was the titular head of the ruling Nacionalista Party in 1955. When Senator Lorenzo Sumulong was dislodged from the Nacionalista senatorial slate by the very popular Doy Laurel in 1967 since only one of them could represent Southern Tagalog, Sumulong, a reelectionist, was invited by the LP to be its guest candidate, but he politely declined and remained a loyal member of the NP. He was returned to the Senate in 1969. Sumulong was one of the honorable and principled politicians at that time. His species became extinct after he died in 1997. That rare display of statesmanship won’t happen today.
While some parties have not yet completed their senatorial lineups, like the Aksyon Demokratiko of Mayor Isko Moreno, the Liberal Party of VP Leni, and the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas of former Senator Bongbong Marcos, it is notable that the slates presented by the Lacson-Sotto, VP Leni-Pangilinan and Pacquiao-Atienza tickets share common names. Binay, Gordon, Escudero, Villanueva and Zubiri appear in the three lineups. Legarda is named in both Lacson and Pacquiao slates, while Honasan is included in the PDP-Laban and Lacson lineups. Now a candidate will jump from one party to another and join their slates to increase his chance of being catapulted to the Senate. Yesterday, his hand was raised by one presidential candidate. Today, he will join the rally of the standard bearer of another party. Tomorrow, he will appear on the political stage of a different presidentiable. Never mind one’s principles and ideology. If that is not opportunism, even Webster would be out of his mind finding the right word. Conviction and principles are the first to be jettisoned whenever personal interests come in.
Aside from their own party members, a political party offers slots to guest candidates and independent candidates. One may run as an official candidate of his own party but still be included as a guest candidate of another party or parties. In the past, this was done but one only sought an elective office under one political banner. Politicians of yore had more scruples than their current counterparts. They may also form coalitions and endorse a multi-party slate of senatoriables. VP Leni’s senatorial lineup takes this form, more or less. She has only included three LP stalwarts in her ticket and the rest come from various parties.
The Philippine Senate has 24 members voted at large. Every three years, half of the seats are contested with each voter entitled to 12 votes where one can choose one to 12 candidates. Next year, the 12 seats to be vacated by the senators elected in 2016 will be disputed but three of them, Senators Franklin Drilon, Tito Sotto and Ralph Recto will be completing their consecutive 2-six-year terms and therefore barred from running for a third term. The three currently hold three of the top positions in the Upper Chamber—Senate President, Senate President Pro tempore, and Minority Leader. Thus, three pillars of the institution are graduating and they will leave a void that will be hard to fill. Of the nine incumbents who are still qualified for another term, Gordon, Zubiri, Joel Villanueva, Win Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros and Leila de Lima are running for reelection. Senators Panfilo Lacson, Kiko Pangilinan and Manny Pacquiao are seeking higher offices. The reelectionist senators are household names and their chances of retaining their seats are great. However, it is noteworthy that several comebacking former senators who had a record of distinguished service in that august body are also leading the charge. Among them are former solons Chiz Escudero, Loren Legarda, Alan Peter Cayetano, JV Ejercito, Gregorio Honasan and Antonio Trillanes. Most of them are shoo-in to make it to the magic 12. If you throw in former VP Binay who has his own core supporters, the remaining slots still open for grabs are getting limited. Entrenched political families like the Estrada/Ejercito who are fielding half brothers JV and Jinggoy and former DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, although a newcomer in national politics, will have an edge over those entirely coming in from the cold. Celebrities like Raffy Tulfo and Robin Padilla will enjoy strong name recall, which will definitely boost their chances. Tried and tested public servants with solid experience in the government represented by former Justice Secretary, former Congressman and current Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello, will have better chances than others.
But the official campaign period has not even commenced. At this period in 2016, the eventual presidential winner had not even declared his candidacy. He was still in denial mode as his sight was still focused on the mayoralty seat of Davao City. And no one had any inkling that Martin Diño’s name would earn a footnote in our political history. So many events will still unfold between now and May 9, 2022. Who is ahead now may be the last and the last may be the first when the votes are finally counted. With candidate substitution still coming up and the final realignment of political forces still underway, it will be risky to place one’s bet this early. Who knows if Senator Bato de la Rosa may stay in the race backed up by Senator Bong Go and his 14 senatoriables, plus the formidable machinery of the administration. Where does it leave former Senator Bongbong Marcos without a running mate and with Atty. Larry Gadon leading his Senate slate? November 15 has become the most heavily circled date in the calendar. Until then, we won’t know who are the Jokers and the Batmen.