If elections were held today, and granting that there is no constitutional amendment allowing President Noy to run for a second term, and assuming further that he won't commit a major blunder, Vice President Jejomar C Binay will most probably win hands down. If he could beat the front-running Mar Roxas and Senator Loren Legarda for the Vice presidency in 2010, without much ado prior to the elections, as of today, his chances are even much, much better. The demolition team may rain down a downpour of graft charges or inundate him plunder complaints or whatever, but his poll ratings will continue to be on top beating all the other wannabees. That is why many people are now afraid of the backlash once Jojo Binay assumes the presidency come 2016.
We do not buy the idea that the President can be '' seduced'' by some vested interests to challenge Binay himself and run again, after tinkering with the term limit of the current fundamental law. That would be a suicidal gambit. And that is a purely speculative and wishful thinking. All the hand writings on the wall point to the direction of the Aquinos silently supporting the inevitable Binay aspiration and ultimate assumption into the highest post. That would be the most practical and smartest option for the Aquinos. Take note that the Aquino sisters, most especially the outspoken Kris, have practically endorsed Jojo Binay. And no less than two brothers of the late Senator Ninoy Aquino, including former Senator Butch Aquino, have come out openly for Binay. In no time at all, the President may declare that Binay is his guy. Mark my word.
The Aquinos and the Binays have a long history of alliances and collaboration. Jojo Binay was a street parliamentarian who led many Makati rallies and demonstrations in the eighties against the Marcos dictatorship. Jojo marched in the streets amidst both scorching heat and heavy rains, alongside with the grieving widow Cory Aquino, He, like the other MABINI lawyers Joker Arroyo, Rene' Saguisag and Bobet Sanchez provided free legal services to those whom the Marcos regime arrested, jailed and persecuted. Jojo was wounded and scarred in the picket lines and in the demo skirmishes with the police and the military. While his current detractors were nowhere, Jojo was in the front lines trying to slay the dragon of a dictator.
I have kept many photos of Jojo Binay walking across the dangerous Mendiola bridge, marching valiantly shoulders to shoulders with the late Chino Roces, Lorenzo Tanada, Jose W Diokno, and Nene Pimentel, while those who are maligning him now were hiding under the skirts of their mothers. Jojo Binay was later given the monicker " Rambotito" because despite his short stature and diminutive size and dark complexion, he stood tall with guns in both hands either in the front, at the side, and at the back of Cory Aquino. His loyalty to the late lady President was beyond any shade of doubt. Therefore, the Aquinos cannot and will most probably not declare an open political warfare against a winning ally. That would be a wrong move that they will later regret.
That is why the Roxas partisans and those who have strongly maligned and persecuted Jojo Binay are now very much concerned that, at the end of the day, they will most probably be left holding an empty bag. Politics is addition and PNoy is learning the ropes of politics. It is better for Noy to befriend Jojo now, so as to assure himself, that no cases shall be filed against him and his people once he leaves Malacañang. For all we know a '' modus vivendi" must have already been a '' fait accompli''. Noy appointed Jojo to be the more powerful housing and migrant workers czar. These were very strong indications of a secret pact.
attyjosephusbjimenez@yahoo.com