Butch Bagabuyo “One cannot know everything.” – Horace “For knowledge, too, is itself a power.”–– Bacon SINCE Monday, 12th  day  this month, the three announced ambitious “presidentiables” are partly celebrating. But we, the teeming millions of the sovereign, say: “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings.” Here’s my take. Our very own Davao Mayor Rodrigo “Super Digong” Duterte is “torned between two lovers.” On one side is an independent-strong willed yet caring and loving daughter who truly wants her aging father to retire from public service and devote his remaining life in the care of his adoring family. On the other side is the teeming millions of the unwashed, unschooled, barely sheltered and overly abused Mindanaoans by Imperial Manila, the trapos and the filthy rich, who have no one to turn to but our man who has served best Davao City. But Davao City is not Mindanao. Neither is the our paradise-like Mindanao the Philippines. Be that as it may, our man is left with no choice but to be with his family. After all, he has already achieved with distinction the pinnacle of any man’s dream: to be a man for others. However, as a firm believer of the goodness of God and as one of the original Plazans of yesteryears, in times like now, we would look at each other and with our thumbs pointing the heaven above say it best: “Si Jess dili gyud parehas sa uban.” Yes, Virginia, miracles happen just when we least expect ’em. And in the same breath, as true blue Ateneans, we would reverently bow our heads and in silence say, “Yes, Lord, we know only too well that You help those who help themselves. So please give us the strength and the will so that Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, Amen.” Last week, Super Digong said if we would see him at the Comelec on the last day of the first deadline (Friday, 16th of October 2015) for the filing of certificates of candidacy, then we would have a candidate for the presidency. Since we are truly in dire need of Super Digong, Duterte and his family much more than they need us, let us, on our own, prove to the world that we are the sovereign and money is nothing compared to warm bodies––“one more time pa more.” On our own, using whatever little we have for the good of all, let us, willingly do:
  • Occupy this afternoon, with 10 million warm bodies of the red, white and blue of whatever from the Comelec all the way to the Luneta. On this score, I would like to believe that the millions of loyalists and followers of Senators Bongbong Marcos and Alan Peter Cayetano as well as the teeming poor Mindanaoans in Metro Manila can easily have the necessary warm bodies.
  • Provide our own with bottled water, biscuits or whatever materials for noise barrage, and “DU30 for President” banners or whatever.
  • Security measures for every 10 people––the best antedote against saboteurs.
  • A caravan from all walks of life in all nooks and cranny from Tawi-Tawi to the Luneta.
  • Walk alone or with friends as far as you can up to the Luneta and have a group of 10 people upon reaching the Luneta for security measures and as a deterrent to saboteurs.
And one time “pa more,” permit me to restate the glaring truth: Undoubtedly, Sen. Grace Poe has the makings of great president “sa tamang panahon.” But because the presidency is the most difficult of all trades, according to Socrates, the world’s one of the greatest minds, and proven by recent history and the present in the person of PNoy, what our country needs badly and urgently today is not a student with a bright future but a leader of proven guts and oozing love of country and his people. Undoubtedly, Super Digong has proven to the world that he has completely changed the biggest city in the world infamous for being “a killing fields” into among the five safest cities in the world. Neither can we afford to entrust our country to a poor man who has ruled the financial capital of the country for decades. Sadly, in the process, he appears to have earned billions when we all know that the salary of a mayor of a highly urbanized city is only as small as the tiniest highly urbanized city in our country. Worst, he has made the city as his own family business empire comparable perhaps to that of Donald Trump as though the city is without principled leaders. Lastly, it would be the height of naiveté if not, sheer stupidity to elect a president wanting in executive abilities and lacks the balls to right a wrong. We all know that the former leader of the DILG––of which the National Police force is a huge and powerful component of––was intentionally bypassed in that highly critical and sensitive operation against a known international terrorist and a bomb expert, Marwan. When we all woke up on Jan. 25, 2015 and learned that 44 of our brave SAF commandos were brutally murdered by heinous assassins pretending to love peace and equality but salivating over naked power and greed for earthly possessions, Secretary Mar Roxas did nothing in order to preserve his personal selfish interest of being the anointed presidential candidate by PNoy and his tentacles otherwise known as the shameless exploiters of the youth and women––the Liberal Party. Would you elect a coward to be our president at this time when the culture of impunity reigns? Undoubtedly, what our country is in dire need of today is a man without interest or the ambition to become president but who dearly loves his country and people so much so that he has categorically warned the criminals, the drug kings, queens and plunderers that if elected President, he would unhesitatingly turn red the Manila Bay until all the drug kings, queens, and plunderers are gone and forever wiped out from the face of our country. As a last resort, let us all pray that the good Lord, our God help us convince Super Digong Duterte to save us from perdition. With Super Digong, the country can enjoy a life of happiness sans drug kings, queens and plunderers and the continuation of the “Aldub nation.” Tsada, di ba?