The enemy of my enemy -is my enemy

THE DEFEAT of 42-year old boxing legend Sen. Manny Pacquiao in the hands of an obscure Cuban boxer named, Yordenis Ugas, personally, was painful to me. For despite my misgivings about his contrived strategy to advance his presidential ambition (see Introspection, I.T. Jul. 16-22, 2021), in my heart, he is still my hero, and I love him and respect him dearly--because he has brought countless pride and glory to our country.

In this regard, I was prepared to repay in whatever way my capacity could afford, for what the fighting senator has done for us Filipinos--contingent, however, upon where my loyalty to my country permits. It pains me to say, but I must say it, that Sen. Manny Pacquiao--despite his campaign theme to end corruption in government, a prime necessity in our sociopolitical structure nowadays--is not fit to be our next President, not at this time anyway.

Let's say he has the heart to work as our President, and his rags-to-riches story is very compelling as he knows how to feel the needs of the poor. But a willing heart and poverty experience cannot be the only qualities of a man to become President.

Experience, intelligence and moral competency embody the core foundation of qualities we need this time for our next President to have. Pacquiao could be morally competent given his present religious enmeshment and personal wealth, defined by his rags-to-riches story. Yet, in terms of experience, he is not even halfway toward its threshold given that his experience is massively in boxing, not in political nor entrepreneurial management that either is required of a Philippine President, at this juncture, to possess. The senator's intelligence is suspect to a good measure, for he has yet to show any indication of his good judgment worth admiring at this point.

The presidential race will be a multiple-cornered fight. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Panfilo Lacson are definite to be in the race. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Senator Richard Gordon and of course Pacquiao comprise the peripheral contenders, with former senator Bongbong Marcos on a wait-andsee posture, his final decision, this column believes, hinges on what Mayor Sara does next or if his survey rating makes a dramatic surge from now until October.

The Sara-Bongbong tandem will indeed be a "marriage made in heaven," as Senator Imee Marcos has said, if this comes to pass. This ideal tandem is at peril of being not realized however if Mayor Sara decides not to run to give way instead to a Go (President) Duterte tandem, or if she picks a runningmate other than Bongbong. Either of these scenarios to transpire will dramatically redefine the political landscape as Bongbong by necessity, this writer believes, will run for the presidency; and the race will become a presidential fight of epic proportions, which will enhance as a consequence the chances of the other aspirants.

Mayor Sara remains cool in the face of fiery rhetoric exchanges between her father on one hand and the other presidentiables on the other. Except Bongbong, the other wannabees: Lacson, Robredo, Gordon, Moreno and Pacquiao are now in full battle attack against the President in search of an edge in the race--as if they are one group brandishing a collective banner written on which is an ancient proverb, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

These wannabees are on a gold-rush mentality to undermine the President's anointed presidential candidate by discrediting his performance. He is the defined enemy that they must destroy in whichever way they can--because, with all due respect, this is the only option they must do to have a chance to beat his candidate. At this point, Duterte's attackers feign friendship among themselves but at the end of the day, each one is an enemy to the other and how they will destroy each other the way the gold-rushers tried to destroy one another in the name of personal greed will be something else to talk about when the campaign sets in.

In the final analysis, it will be a matter of 'the enemy of my enemy --is my enemy,' and the ultimate gainer after this fiasco will be President Duterte, their original enemy.