Bong Go, Sotto, etc.

IWAS surfing the cable TV a couple of weeks ago when I chanced upon Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson on the government station PTV talking with some Lumad children. Uson is attractive so I tarried for a while to ascertain her capability as TV host. But Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” suddenly surfaced professing his love for the children. I hastily changed channels.

“Abi nakog ganahan ka maminaw ni Mocha,” my wife said, smiling. “Naa man si Bong Go,” I shot back.

Among those in the list of administration PDP-Laban senatoriables, Bong Go is the most aggressive, more aggressive than Uson and even Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. In this case, he and Uson even became too aggressive, using the government TV station for obvious politicking. One consolation there is that only few are watching PTV.

Last week, fire hit Barangay Ermita, resulting in the death of three children. Go later visited the Ermita fire victims who were staying at the Barangay Ermita Sports Complex and distributed P3 million in relief goods supposedly from the Office of the President. He also gave financial assistance to the relatives of the children who died. Oplan Pakilala?

“Sa tinuod lang, trabaho ning ako nga motuyok. Dili na man gud tanang lugar ang matuyokan sa presidente,” Go said in answer to insinuations this was part of a campaign strategy. But as they say, better tell that to the Marines.

Go’s campaign is already off and running. I won’t blame his advisers for urging him to do so because, despite his lofty position in the Duterte administration, Go is still an unknown entity nationwide. He needs to work overtime to introduce himself to the voters.

As for Roque, he is continuing to ingratiate himself to the so-called diehard Duterte supporters (DDS) by trying to ease the negative effects of some of President Duterte’s recent statement. His face may have become familiar to a nationwide TV audience but I doubt if that is enough to make him win.

Which brings me to Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, who is running for reelection in next year’s elections and is thus resigning from his post to focus on his campaign. Majority of the senators voted for Vicente Sotto III as his replacement. Expect a dip in the Senate’s trust ratings with Sotto at the helm. He actually is House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Part 2.

Incidentally, two sons of former president Joseph Estrada would be in Duterte’s senatorial slate: the incumbent Joseph Victor Ejercito and former senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, who is facing plunder charges in court. After Pia Cayetano and her brother Alan Peter Cayetano, it would be the turn of Estrada and Ejercito to show how limited our choices of senatorial bets have become.

The Senate has 24 members and only 12 seats are open for 2019. Having two brothers snag two of those 12 seats is therefore too much. But then, this is what the country’s politics is about: controlled by only few families.

Maayo ra ba unta’g the best and the brightest.