In an open public debate, Sonny Trillanes will make mince meat out of Bong Go

IBy F I were President Duterte, I would douse cold water on the callous challenge of his presidential assistant Bong Go to debate with Sen. Sonny Trillanes, “on any topic.”

Those Malacanang “wise guys” who may have probably been coaxing the diminutive and stuttering presidential Man Friday to confront on any stage the virtually battle-scarred and articulate former Navy captain do not know how to face the realities in life.

In any public debate, the audience has already made up its mind whom to applaud and this is showered on the debater with seen track record.

In that department, where would they place Bong Go?

Whatever that “track record” means, Senator Sonny has plenty of it tacked under his belt.

Ostensibly, that phrase connotes mostly “popularity,”expectedly, to the sad reception and vehement objection of Palace rooters.

And in an open public debate, and the audience already oriented to Trillanes’ “multi-faceted talents,”will mostly be rendering applause and acclaim to this Bicolano PMA alumnus.

Those are the so-called built-in advantages of the flamboyant former Navy officer.

People have seen and heard the exploits of the young senator – from the Oakwood Hotel caper in 2006, and to his incarceration (yes, his “overspending” while behind bars) to a host of public forums and people’s venues doing his relentless exposes and probes.

Where was Bong Go in all those years of Trillanes’ media and public exposure?

At 5’3”, with a facial feature that will not instantly provoke shrieks and adulation from the spectators, Bong Go has an innate inconvenience.

I am not known to either Secretary Bong or Senator Sonny. In fact. I have not even seen either of them in person. My perception of the public speaking prowess of the two personalities is derived from watching them on TV and going over print media features, or those unrehearsed radio interviews.

Quite significantly too, the topics to be debated on are a major factor in attracting live audience to swell and live TV home-watchers to attain building rafters levels.

But next to that is the personality and stature of the principals.

How attractive does each debater to the audience? How does he carry himself? How is his accent and diction when delivering his extemporaneous pieces?

No doubt the macho-looking Trillanes at 5’8” has those attributes. He can easily communicate his issues and easily defends tirades against him.

(FLASHBACK. Remember the presidential debate in the US between Richard Nixon and John Kennedy covered for the first time by nationwide TV networks in 1960? It also illustrated how professional PR came to the scene – Kennedy’s Madison Avenue handlers insisted that their client by applied with a light make-up on his face to maximize the favorable TV projection. And the unmade-up Nixon? The TV klieg lights made the skin of his face looked “horrible!”)

So what then triggered Bong Go’s challenge to Trillanes?

His announced appearance in the Senate recently, and with the Upper House exonerating him on the spot was a talisman that seemingly inspired Bong Go to seek a senatorial seat. Come to think of it, only a few are aware of what he was exonerated of, in the first place.

But in a public debate, there will no one there to couch him – unlike the coterie of Cabinet men swarming around him during the Senate hearing – he will be alone and a lonely figure there.

Adding to the intimidation will be the commanding presence of the guy he challenged who by now is already called a “seared veteran” of sorts, with whom he will be seated on the stage.

Friends of the young presidential Man-Friday are also saying in private that what saddens the senatorial aspirant was the result of the allegedly Malacanang-commissioned senatorial preference survey that did not result in the inclusion of his name as among those 20 wannabees preferred, coming from both PDP-Laban and Liberal Party.

A dismal showing, indeed, even if it was just an initial preference poll. Notwithstanding that Senate “testimony” and his daily media exposure enhanced by his presence in presidential news events.

So, my humble proposal to the President is to dissuade Bong Go from proceeding with the latter’s derring-do of challenging Sen. Trillanes to an open public argument contest. This will save the Duterte administration from further embarrassment already messed up by some of his former college classmates and Davao friends.