Puno for President, Hagedorn's Choice, and Bro. Eddie

A Philippine Daily Inquirer article on Chief Justice Reynato Puno reminded me of a previous post about the Chief Justice and any possibility of him seeking the presidency later on.  For this, Puno does not have a categorical yes or no answer.  He only said it is a matter of destiny.  Safe answer, but I suddenly wonder if the thought has at least crossed his mind.  He has the qualifications, and could always do a repeat of what Marcelo Fernan did in 1992.

Well, it’s only 2008.  And anything can happen in the next year or so.  So let’s see.

Puno aside, what I really found more interesting about the news article was Puerto Princesa, Palawan Mayor Edward Hagedorn’s take on the different presidentiables.  For now, without the benefit of any actual presidential debate (it is only 2008, after all) I would have to agree with him on all points.  If a person from SWS or Pulse Asia were to interview me and ask whom I would vote for if elections were held today, I would say I am still undecided.  Personally, no one has met my criteria yet, having seen all of them behind the camera.

Hagedorn has said what many people think, and what many active media people could not say for purposes of ahem, objectivity:

“…In a later interview, Hagedorn said that as a local official, he has been examining the credentials and intentions of the early-bird presidential aspirants for the 2010 race.

Quickly, he went through each of the perceived and known candidates. One aspirant is “pang-pelikula lang ang tapang (only suited for the movies),” another is “totally insane for suggesting that we cut our trees on the highway.” Still another is “too young and too inexperienced” that he would “just be eaten” by the generals.

One has a “fake environmental agenda,” another has no clear focus on the issues, “pasuntok-suntok lang sa hangin sa isyu (shadow-boxing with the issues).” This aspirant “is scared as hell to be president because he knows he can’t do it,” another has very clear business interests to protect, and another has been described by another presidential aspirant as “delikadong tao yan (he is a dangerous man).”

***

A suspicion from a college org mate has just made me think.  He believes Brother Eddie Villanueva is again running for the presidency in 2010.  His basis?  Bro. Eddie’s latest billboards.  There’s one on SLEX, which I have been seeing everyday for the past few weeks.  It’s about the anniversary of the Jesus is Lord Church next week, with Bro. Eddie’s picture on the side.  Knowing Bro. Eddie, he would speak up if he would run again. He’s not the type who would have so many commercials, billboards, and photo-ops and say that “it’s too early to talk about 2010.”

Click here to see the original article on Hagedorn and Puno.