Imee will make a better president than Noynoy - Padilla

ALFONSO CASTAÑEDA, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – A congressman from here believes that former Ilocos Norte representative Imee Marcos would make a better president than Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. 

This was the assessment made by Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla in comparing the daughter of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos to the son of the late President Corazon Aquino.

“I don’t want to make an impression that Senator Noynoy is not capable of running the country or to degrade the revered name of the Aquino family,” Padilla stressed.

“I’m just saying that Imee could be the better leader.”

Padilla noted Aquino has been a legislator in all his years of public service while Ms. Marcos briefly served as governor of Ilocos Norte in succeeding her brother, now incumbent Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, in legislative work.

Aquino, an economics graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University, is the standard bearer of the Liberal Party for the next year’s elections.

On the other hand, nothing has been heard of the political plans of Marcos’ 53-year-old daughter since her nine-year stint in Congress ended in 2007.

A multi-degree holder, including arts and literature and sociology mostly obtained abroad, Imee also has a masters degree from the Asian Institute of Management and is a University of the Philippines law graduate, Padilla pointed out.

Instead of Imee, the Marcos matriarch, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, has made public her preference for her son Bongbong to be the family’s bridge on the way back to political supremacy.

Padilla said he was among the remaining few congressmen who had the opportunity to closely work and deal with Aquino and Marcos.

Aquino served as representative of Tarlac at the same time when Imee was elected to the House of Representatives.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate Noynoy three and Imee almost close to 10. This is as far as their legislative and leadership performance during their House term is concerned,” Padilla said.

“When we were still colleagues, I could see her (Imee) having the potentials of becoming a good president. She is very articulate and assertive. She is very active in (House) deliberations, even during committee hearing,” Padilla said.

Aquino, on the other hand, just remained on the sidelines, according to Padilla.

Padilla said Aquino’s greatest asset, for now, is the legacy left by his renowned parents, being the only son of the late President Corazon Aquino and martyred former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.

“On the other hand, Imee’s handicap is the legacy of her father,” Padilla said.