Post-election forecast in Manila. Written by MANUEL L. CABALLERO Thursday, 07 April :14. Vice presidential candidate Sen. Bongbong Marcos.

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1 Vice presidential candidate Sen. Bongbong Marcos. 1 / 8

2 THE late editor and publisher of this newspaper, Bert Pelayo, used to tell us that one mark of a good opinion-maker or columnist is his or her ability to analyze the news and predict what may happen in the future. In one word, prescience or foresight. Of course, the outcome is not always 100 percent accurate. We will attempt to engage in this exercise this week. We are in a fast forward mode. In light of recent events that happened or are still happening in the native country, we are tempted to think, and write here about our forecast that may take place after the elections. 2 / 8

3 We are all aware of the May 9, 2016 presidential and vice presidential elections. This is one of the blessings, a vibrant democracy in spite of its imperfections, which Filipinos are enjoying and nurturing. Unlike in the USA, the Philippine Constitution provides that the president and vice president be elected separately, but in same manner and same qualifications. The following are the relevant 1987 Constitutional provisions (Article VII Executive Department): Section 2. No person may be elected President unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least forty years of age on the day of the election, and a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such election. Section 3. There shall be a Vice-President who shall have the same qualifications and term of office and be elected with, and in the same manner, as the President. He may be removed from office in the same manner as the President. Section 8. In case of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the President, the Vice-President shall become the President to serve the unexpired term... *** 3 / 8

4 Our forecast We witnessed how the majority members of the Philippine Supreme Court resorted to judicial and extrajudicial sources outside of the country s own Constitution in arriving at a decision, which was favorable to the petitioner, in an appeal for reconsideration of a disqualification case filed by Sen. Grace Poe last year. Although it should not happen and we are not positive it indeed happened, talks were awash in Manila and in mainstream local media, that a powerful interest group played a role in the Court s decision. Assuming without granting that such was the case, and considering that the Court left open the decisions on the key issues of natural-born citizenship and 10-year residency requirement for Sen. Poe, it is not impossible for the same interest group to have the case reopened in some future time. With that scenario, assuming without granting again that Sen. Poe wins the presidency and Sen. Bongbong Marcos, or whoever, gets elected as Vice-President, in one stroke of the majority s pens, the Supreme Court could remove Sen. Poe from office. Under such scenario, the son of Marcos, will assume the presidency of the Republic. So, it can be said, that a vote for Sen. Bongbong on May 9, is not only a vote for the vice presidency, but may also be for the presidency? 4 / 8

5 Either making a President Marcos is Plan A (making Marcos President right away by reviving the disqualification case versus Mrs. Poe) or Plan B (if a President Poe will not kowtow to the wishes of the interest group and have her removed by the same Supreme Court), either way, poor Grace Poe. That s politics, Manila style (or PNoy style?). Remember the Renato Corona impeachment? The approval of the Reproductive Health Bill? The demolition by publicity against the Binay family? The plunder cases versus opposition politicians, but not against pro administration officials? The latest is the plunder case against Sen. Bongbong Marcos filed less than 48 hours by a never heard before group after the senator was declared winning the vice presidency in a survey. Wait and see, folks! *** 5 / 8

6 Presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe, her running mate Sen. Francis Chiz Escudero, and their senatorial line-up join local candidates during a campaign rally on April 5. (Ph oto by Arnold Almacen) In Constitutional democracies, the joke is that one of the duties and responsibilities of a Vice-President is to pray...pray that the President disappears from the face of the earth so he could assume the presidency. 6 / 8

7 Lol. Seriously, it seems Sen. Bongbong Marcos is feeling something good. Lol! He was quoted as saying in Tagalog in a radio interview in Cebu recently, Hindi ko tanggap na spare tire ang isang vice president, dahil kasama sa iyong katungkulanna kung sakali mang hindi maituloy ng pangulo ang kanyangpagka - presidente, kailangan laging handa ang bise presidente dahil siya ang hahalili, (I can t accept that being a vice president is a spare tire because in the event the president is unable to continue or finish his or her term, the Vice-President should be prepared to take over). Hmmm! *** 7 / 8

8 Personal. I Happy Koset I m mcaball241@aol.com would only and Ramirez Birthday like one her to of greet family her Koset Bernardo many, another are Ramirez our many with friend good Bernardo. husband friends friends on her who birthday. for Leonard. wish many her years. well on her birthday. 8 / 8