BBM is alive, long live the president

Bad news for the forces in a hurry to install their favorite to assume the presidency. President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr is alive and well. And he may even outlive those who want him replaced.

To clear the air, I’m not a Marcos loyalist, I have never voted for any Marcos in my almost eight decades of life. I was detained as a student leader during martial law. I hate any form of dictatorship. I don’t like him but BBM is our president. It isn’t good for our country to change horses midstream while the nation is facing a serious crisis.

If we look at the lessons from history, it has never happened that when a president dies, a vice president who belongs to the opposition takes over. When President Manuel L. Quezon died on August 1, in Saranac Lake, New York, 1944, his loyal vice president and very close friend and confidante, Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. took over while the country was about to witness the end of World War II,

Osmeña continued the policies of Quezon and carried the burden of rebuilding the country which was pulverized by Japan. Quezon and Osmeña were founders of the Nacionalista Party. They were bosom friends from their Letran and UST days. They took the Bar Exams together. Osmeña placed second, Quezon placed fourth. They were allies all the way. They had some spats and conflicts but they always reconciled. They were a perfect combination, Quezon from Luzon and Osmeña from the Visayas.

When President Manuel Roxas died due to a massive heart attack on April 15, 1948, in Clark, Pampanga, while delivering a fiery speech, his faithful friend and co-founder of the Liberal Party, Elpidio Quirino took over and continued the policies and programs of Roxas. They were also an ideal tandem, Roxas from Capiz and Quirino from Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Transition was smooth, the country was at peace and the government was stable.

When President Ramon Magsaysay died on March 17, 1957 in Cebu, Vice President Carlos P. Garcia who was then in Australia, immediately took his oath at our Philippine Embassy in Canberra. They were a strong team and were both pillars of the Nacionalista Party. They were the best combination, Magsaysay from Iba, Zambales, and Garcia from Talibon, Bohol. Magsaysay was a mechanic and Garcia was a lawyer and poet. They both married rich and beautiful women.

When President Cory died, she was no longer president, so vice president Doy Laurel, with whom Cory had a falling out, didn’t have a chance to take over the presidency. When FVR died, he was no longer president, so Erap didn’t replace him. They were civil to each other even if they belonged to different parties.

GMA didn’t wait for Erap to die and grabbed the presidency on the technicality that the Supreme Court declared Estrada constructively resigned or abandoned the presidency as a consequence of EDSA II. Erap wasn’t convicted by the Senate as an impeachment court because the prosecution walked out and the impeachment proceedings weren’t consummated.

GMA was denounced by her own anointed vice president, Teofisto Guingona, due to the "Hello, Garci" controversy. Guingona was replaced by Noli de Castro, meek as a lamb and harmless as a pigeon. President Noynoy was never vexed by Vice President Jojo Binay who was a loyal defender of PNoy's mom. Noynoy knew how to please Binay and Jojo wasn’t a troublemaker. Aquino and Binay didn’t belong to the same party.

President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Robredo weren’t partymates but Leni was too decent and dignified as to avoid a nasty confrontation. In fairness to both of them, they tried to be civil and well-behaved with each other. It was because Leni had enough self-restraint and cultured equanimity so as not to react to the many sexist comments and condescending remarks of Duterte.

But today, we have a vice president who keeps on attacking the president. In the face of persistent rumors about the president's health, the more decent manner of a vice president is perhaps to keep her mouth shut if she does not have the grace to urge the people to pray for our head of state and head of government.

I do not know about you, but I and my house are praying to God to protect our president and bless the Philippines. That is the very least we can do as a people under God.