By Al S. Mendoza

 

WE are a nation of oddities, if not ironies.

Like, we have the longest Christmas season in the world.

We are not that tall but basketball is our national pastime, a sport where height is might.

We celebrate the death of our National Hero, not his birthday.

Thus, when we say Rizal Day, that’s commemorating Jose Rizal’s death by martyrdom on December 30.

Rizal’s birthday, June 19, is not a national holiday.

And our having a short memory is known worldwide.

Look, we kicked out a dictator, only to allow his return to our shores only a little over five years later on Nov. 4, 1991.

And we next buried him at the Cemetery of Heroes.

Not only that.

We also welcomed home his entire family.

And we allowed them to live normal lives again.

As if they had not robbed us blind during their reign of greed.

Today, the dictator’s children and grandchildren as well are holding elective positions in the regional as well as national levels.

One is even gunning for the highest position of the land.

He is none other than the namesake of the late dictator, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The son also wishes to rise?

If you ask him, yes.  Rise to “propagate the legacy of my father.”

A 14-year legacy of dictatorship borne out of a brutal martial law regime that unjustly jailed 70,000-plus nationalists, tortured 30,000-plus patriots and killed nearly 4,000 pro-democracy forces.

While it is globally known that the old Marcos faked his war medals, the young Marcos also faked his certificate of candidacy (CoC).

Like father like son.

Marcos Jr., in filing his CoC last month, checked the “No” box instead of the “Yes” in the election document, asking if he was convicted of a crime that would perpetually bar him from seeking public office.

In his Inquirer column a while back, Antonio Carpio, the exceedingly credible retired Supreme Court justice, exposed that Marcos Jr. was convicted of tax evasion in 1995 for failing to pay his taxes from 1982 to 1985.

As a result, Marcos Jr. is not fit to run for president in the May 2022 polls in accordance with the law.

The only remedy is for President Duterte to grant Marcos Jr. a presidential pardon.

That possibility, alas, is as remote as Manny Pacquiao winning the presidency next year.

The pardon is far-fetched because, isn’t Mr. Duterte’s daughter, Inday Sara, still a probable presidential contender, going by her supporters’ palpable stance of rabidly egging her on to go for it?

We are still eight days away from the November 15 deadline of candidate-substitution.

Hasn’t Sen. Bato dela Rosa given us a hint of Sara’s likely surprise move, telling us time and again that he’d be more than willing to allow Sara to take his place as presidential bet should the President’s daughter so desire?

“I have always been a team player,” said Bato, whose vice presidential mate is Sen. Bong Go.

Be aware.

Amid the circus atmosphere of Philippine politics, anything, everything, is possible—but not including the thought of the dictator’s son withdrawing on his own volition.

Next to impossible.

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments