By Al S. Mendoza

 

 

BONG Go said he is not running for president on May 9, 2022.

This, after he was endorsed as the official presidential candidate by the PDP-Laban Party on Sept. 8 in San Fernando City, Pampanga.

President Duterte was nominated for vice president in the same convention by the country’s ruling political party.  He accepted it.

The event was organized by Alfonso Cusi, the Energy secretary.

Cusi is the president of the other half of the party known as the Cusi Wing, with Mr. Duterte as party chairman.

This was the result of the party split weeks ago that ousted Manny Pacquiao as president.

Pacquiao dismissed the rift and continues to call himself president of the Pacquiao Wing, with Koko Pimentel as chairman.

Both Wings claim legitimacy and a broad membership nationwide.

A decision is being awaited from the Comelec as to which Wing will be declared the official party for the 2022 elections.

The Pacquaio Wing has yet to hold its own convention to select its tandem for president and vice president next year.

But Pacquiao, the fighting senator from GenSan, is strongly rumored to gun for the Palace next year.

He keeps saying he will not settle for anything “except the presidency even if I need to run as an independent.”

In numerous interviews, Pacquiao, the world’s only eight-division boxing champion, said:  “If I will not run for president in 2022, either I will run for senator again or retire from politics.”

In my conversation with Fred Moreno on Wednesday (Sept. 8), he said Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno are in continuing talks about a possible partnership in 2022.

As practically everybody now knows, Isko, affectionately called “Yorme,” is also gunning for the presidency next year.

“As far as I know, Isko and Pacquiao are striking up a deal to be running mates in 2022,” said Fred Moreno.  “Initially, Isko would be the standard bearer and Pacquiao the vice president.”

I believe Fred Moreno, my bosom buddy for years, and you’ve got to believe him, too.  For he is the showbiz brother of Isko Moreno.

Both Fred and Isko are the adopted sons of German Moreno, the late, legendary maker of movie superstars.

“There seems to be no stopping my brother Isko from going for the presidency,” said Fred.

We will see by next month, when the filing of candidacy is set October 1-8.

We will also see if Bong Go, elected to a six-year term as senator in 2019, is true to his word that he will not file his presidential candidacy between October 1 & 8.

Is it not a given that Mr. Duterte, with the most minimum of effort, could prod Bong Go to change his mind?

That where the President goes, Bong Go is not far behind?

Will we see a Sunday Suspense Theater all over again, or will it be the Theater of The Absurd one more time?

As uncertain as to when the pandemic will end, one thing is constant, though, in politics:  It is the art of the possible.

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