ON Wednesday, my igsu Nono Montalvan and I received an invitation from lawyer Carlo Antonio Almirante, dean of the Liceo University College of Law to a testimonial dinner in honor of the four new lawyers who recently passed the bar exams. What made it special was that Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was the honored guest speaker. We thought it would be a great opportunity to hear all the stories and statements attributed to Duterte firsthand. The long table reserved for law faculty members, judges and prosecutors was half occupied. There being only three of us (Nono, Elmer Francisco and I) in one roundtable, our host Atty. Almirante thought we should join them and he insisted. I don’t know about Elmer, but Nono and I felt like square pegs in round holes. Although most of them were familiar faces but when people started looking at us, we felt like melting candles. A latecomer whose name I didn’t get must be a lawyer, too. She’s beautiful. Not knowing each other, she asked, “Are you a lawyer?” “Do I look like a lawyer?” I asked. Well, Nono was in a suit and I, in a Barong. I guess we both looked dignified people, too. N Hotel serves good food. We, in the long table, didn’t have to line up for food. Ah... the “privileged ones,” I guess. After dinner, or almost 9 pm, the much awaited Mayor Duterte arrived. There’s practically nothing new in his one-and-a-half-hour speech. We heard them from interviews and read them from social media. What we wanted to hear was, is he going to run for President or not? My take is, he is going too. After his speech, after the presentation of the plaque of appreciation, almost everyone around wanted to have their photos taken with him. Young and old, professionals and law students, hotel staff and workers, media people––they all waited for their turn. That was a manifestation of how popular Duterte has become. Mindanao’s dream is seeing its fulfillment in Duterte. •• Finally, PNoy “anointed” Interior Secretary Mar Roxas as Liberal Party presidential candidate. Roxas deserves no less. He is loyal to the President and their friendship. But the question remains, would he make it? Nothing is said of Roxas’s running mate. It seems that, like Binay, Roxas might have a hard time looking for a running mate. Many in the LP believe that Roxas is heavy baggage. As such, they’re not coming out in the open yet until perhaps, Roxas’s rating goes up. Some political observers thought that more presidential candidates will give the presidency to Binay, such that they are asking for a Binay-Roxas one-on-one. This is, of course, to underestimate the potentials of Poe and Duterte. Their display of independence is gaining respect from many. •• Who is LP’s candidate in the city––Oca or Klarex? Local LPs claim that Klarex is a genuine LP member. Is that the reason why Klarex is now rumored to be running for mayor? Klarex beat Dongkoy before and that is common knowledge. Oca is no longer the darling of CDO. All these considered, Klarex stands a good chance to win. Would Klarex be a good mayor? For me, God forbid. At the N Hotel, a colleague whispered to me that Dongkoy Emano may no longer run against Oca because of the PCOS machines. Why, is history going to repeat itself?