Binay down ergo Roxas up? THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL SEESAW

By Manny Pinol

Vice President Jejomar Binay and Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas III, who are perceived to be the fiercest competitors for President of the Philippines in 2016, are not the opposing ends of a political seesaw.

The fall in Binay’s popularity figures following the expose’ of alleged corruption and unexplained wealth accumulated when he was still Mayor of Makati does not necessarily mean an improvement in Roxas’ chances of becoming President.

While Binay is being hounded and effectively demolished by the corruption issues against him, Roxas himself is hobbling politically because of his perceived high-handed, arrogant and irascible behavior.

The perceived celebratory mood in the camp of the Liberal Party following the release of recent survey results showing Binay losing 10% of his 41% voters’ preference rating is premature and unfounded.

Roxas’ biggest problem as a politician is being born to a super rich family where he is the sole inheritor of the wealth of his late grandfather, Amado Araneta, who virtually owns the whole Cubao area in Quezon City.

It was perhaps the fact that he grew up with mainly servants and drivers around him which has turned Roxas into a person incapable of understanding human emotions.

He talks to people like they are his housemaids or drivers and during the times he tries to show his friendliness, the insincerity is very apparent.

Given this political situation now, the contest for the Presidency is not only confined to Binay and Roxas.

Now, people are talking about Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Grace Poe, Joseph Estrada, Panfilo Lacson, Bongbong Marcos, Chiz Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano and even the unwilling Mayor Rody Duterte.

The Filipino people, tired and disenchanted with what is going on in Philippine politics, are desperately looking leaders outside of the recycled political names.

Binay down, Roxas up?

Not on your life! It’s not a seesaw.

It is an open and wide political landscape for the presidency and I will not be surprised if even the likes of Ely Pamatong would make a run for it.