Risking all for “Change” CAYETANO’S LEAP OF FAITH STARTS PAYING OFF BIG-TIME

By Manny Piñol

In a poker game, Alan Peter Cayetano could be considered a big risk taker who puts in all of his chips on a pair of 2s.

Undaunted by Grace Poe’s soaring rating in the polls, Jejomar Binay’s solid base and Mar Roxas’s political apparatus and funds, Cayetano placed his political career and his vice presidential dream on the line when he decided to stick in out with Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte.

Political pundits, including observers like myself, were befuddled by the decision of Cayetano to declare his Vice Presidential bid in Davao City and to continue to support Duterte even when the Mayor failed to file his COC on Oct. 16.

Had Duterte not change his mind, Cayetano’s Vice Presidential bid would have been in a limbo and many believe that he would lose to Francis Escudero and Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the two front runners in the race for the country’s second highest political post.

“It was no longer about me or my political career but the people and the country. People are tired of what’s going on in government and they wanted change,” he said during his visit to Kidapawan City this week where he attended a Federalism Forum and met with leaders of the Friends of Rody Duterte and farmers’ groups.

“There is no other Presidential candidate who could deliver the change that people are asking for. It is only Mayor Rody,” Cayetano said.

Call Cayetano’s decision to stick it out of Duterte a leap of faith or a risk taker’s gamble or a political suicide.

Whatever it is, the fact now is that his decision to remain true to his commitment to support an unwilling Presidential Candidate is paying off big time.

Duterte, a very simple person who values friendship and loyalty, was obviously touched by Cayetano’s gesture.

While he has publicly said that he remains a friend to Marcos, he has instructed his campaign leaders and his friends who are supporting him to toe the line and support Cayetano’s Vice Presidential bid.

“If you will not vote for Cayetano, then don’t vote for me,” Duterte declared.

Duterte said that his call on his supporters and believers to support his Vice Presidential running mate is the first test on whether people are really committed to follow him as he aims to bring change to the country.

This declaration would really affect the candidacy of both Escudero and Marcos because within the Duterte camp, there are key leaders who were previously committed to support them.

In Mindanao alone, Escudero has a lot of key leaders who are supporting Duterte and I would count myself as one of those.

Marcos too has loyalists within the Duterte camp.

Both groups now would not be able to do what they wish to do because of the challenge issued by Duterte for his leaders to show their commitment to him by supporting Cayetano.

Their best option is to stay silent out of respect for Duterte.

Already, Duterte’s endorsement of Cayetano is showing positive results in the leading Presidential candidate’s bailiwick in Mindanao where the senator from Taguig topped the recent surveys.

To make things worse, Poe’s disqualification could affect Chiz’s ratings and chances while the perception that Bongbong joined forces with Miriam Defensor-Santiago after Duterte failed to file his COC could have a negative effect, especially among the Davao City Mayor’s die-hard supporters who call themselves “DDS” or Duterte’s Die-hard Supporters.

Duterte’s immense popularity especially among the Masa could pull up Cayetano from No.3 in the ratings now to the top.

He could yet be the next Vice President of the Philippines.

If that happens, you have to credit Cayetano for his blind loyalty to the cause that he believes in – Change – and to the man who could make it happen – Duterte.

Leap of faith? Gut feel?

Whatever it is, I would not like to sit across Alan Peter Cayetano in a poker table.