Playing with Fire
Man of the hour
By Gonzalo Duque
WE’VE been receiving text messages and calls by the hundreds everyday from all parts of the country.
Why? You know it. Friends, allies, including fiends were asking or confirming a report that our man for president Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte has withdrawn from the presidential contention.
Ano ba naman kayo? Hindi pa nga nagde-declare yong tao e. All the while Rody’s nonstop visits are due to numerous invitations by groups and individuals from all walks of life, from North to South of the archipelago.
Those headlines on his alleged withdrawal were just a reflection of how much his popularity has ballooned.
Nakapagbitaw lang na hindi papayag ang pamilya sa kanyang planong pagtakbo ng pangulo, na headline na! Many columnists in most newspapers in Manila and in the provinces have jumped into the bandwagon.
Ano naman ang sinasabi nila?
Huwag po!! Mawawalan ng pag-asa ang ating kinabukasan.
Para bang in so short a time naging simbolo ng pag-asa si Rody. Ano ang ibig sabihin niyan? Iisa ang ating sinasabi diyan: he is the leader our problematic nation needs.
An adman asked us yesterday: What now, Pareng Gonz, your candidate has chickened out?
We suggested back: “that ‘withdrawal’ publicity was a coup.” Mas nag-ballooned ang clamor for Rody to run.
He is the man of the hour.
Pasasaan ba, in a couple of days he’d be a runaway frontrunner in the race to the Palasyo.
Just to give you an idea how people are missing him.
In Tuguegarao last week, Duterte’s plane missed its schedule to reach the place, creating a huge letdown among his fans . Nag-calm down lang ang mga tao nang nagbigay ng assurance he’d go back. This was a report by our friend Dr. Victor Perez, president of the University of Cagayan.
By the way, he is expected to show up in a big rally at the Rizal Park on Sept. 19 where his followers and admirers will converge to plead to him to never back out. The guy has become a political phenomenon, if you ask us.
A very popular politician here, a known supporter of another presidentiable called us, “ano, Atty. Gonz, kung magwi-withdraw na ang kaibigan mo, join us na lang kay ” (the name of another presidential bet was mentioned.)
Our usual reply was, “wala namang sinasabi if he was withdrawing! Believe me, he won’t back away from the people’s clamor. Itaga nyo sa bato yan.”
So, ano mga igan, mga abay, mga kasapi, at kabayan, on with Rody Duterte tayo.
Walang atrasan yon! For why will he withdraw when he is a front-runner, a virtual winner?
* * * *
In the local scene, we got a report that sounds of dynamite fishing are often heard along then coast of San Fabian.
Calling the attention of the Philippine Coast Guard assigned in the area.
When we asked about the officer, we heard that Mayor Belen Fernandez has no love lost for him.
Agto gabay!
Now, we know why.
(For your comments and reactions, please email to: punch.sunday@gmail.com)
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