A game old men play IN DUTERTE’S DREAM TEAM, VILMA SANTOS COULD BE VP

By Manny Piñol

Up in the air, on board a Beechcraft which took us in a late afternoon flight from Antique to Davao City last Monday, I asked Mayor Rody Duterte to play a game with me.

Of course, at our age – he at 70 and I at 61 – the game I asked him to play was not “Jack En Poy” but a serious one – politics.

“If you ever decide to run for President, who would be your Vice Presidential team mate and if elected President, who would be the first few members of your cabinet?” I asked him.

It took Rody Duterte sometime to answer my question and he obviously tried to buy time by telling me to lower the shade of the small window of the Beechcraft because the rays of the setting sun were hitting my face.

“It can’t be Grace Poe because I think she has decided to run for President,” he said.

The neophyte senator’s name was actually frequently mentioned in the informal talks among Duterte’s close friends who are urging him to run for President.

But this was last year until early this year.

Recently, however, obviously buoyed by her high survey numbers, Grace Poe has reportedly agreed to run for President herself with Senator Chiz Escudero as her vice president.

“Vilma Santos would be a good choice,” he said and this was seconded by his trusted aide Christopher “Bong” Go who was seated behind me.

She has the star power, Rody said and her performance as Batangas Governor is outstanding. Most of all, she is not tainted by issues of corruption.

Personally, I agree that Governor Vi would be a good choice as she exudes an aura of calmness and her infectious smile could soften the otherwise fiery and sometimes firm appearance of Rody Duterte.

“Walay Noranian sa grupo nga magreklamo?” he joked referring to the storied rivalry between young movie stars Vilma Santos, whose rabid fans were called “Vilmanians” and the equally die-hard followers of Nora Aunor known as “Noranians.”

We all had a good laugh.

“And if you win the Presidency, who would be your first Cabinet appointees?,” I followed up.

“I like Gilbert Teodoro for Defense. He is brilliant,” Rody said of the former presidential candidate whom he considers a very dear friend.

“Finance Secretary?,” I asked.

“Definitely, Sonny Dominguez. The guy is highly respected in the business community,” Rody said of his childhood friend and high school classmate who is now head of Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City.

Carlos Dominguez, a former Agriculture Secretary during the Presidency of Corazon Aquino, is now the interim head of finance of the group endorsing Duterte for the Presidency.

“DILG?,” I asked again.

“Raffy Alunan would be a good choice but I am also looking at a Visayan Governor,” Rody answered.

Alunan is a former DILG Secretary under President Fidel V. Ramos who was poised to serve a suspension order against Duterte as Mayor of Davao City for burning the Singaporean flag following the execution of Filipino Flor Contemplacion.

“Department of Justice?,” I asked and he saw me flash a naughty smile because I thought he would mention the name of Sec. Leila de Lima.

“I have two names in mind actually but the other one I cannot mention because he is a sitting Justice of the Supreme Court. The other name is Vit (Vitaliano) Aguirre,” Rody said referring to the bar topnotcher who gained media attention when he covered his ears as Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago ranted during the impeachment hearing of former Chief Justice Renato Corona.

“Social Welfare?,” I asked again.

“I would pick Leni Robredo, she looks very motherly and calm. And anybody who has been through a painful tragedy is more compassionate and emotional. That’s the kind of leader we need in serving the poor and unfortunate,” he said.

“Of course, these people are just my personal choices. A responsible leader should conduct a thorough vetting process to choose his working team,” he said.

I wanted to ask for more names but I noticed that Mayor Duterte, who was in a long trip from Manila to Cebu and Antique, was slouched in his seat, his eyes half closed, an obvious sign of fatigue.

This is a man who has time and again said that he is not interested in the Presidency but whose mind clearly thinks of ways to serve his country even when his body aches.

Which will prevail, the body aching for a well-deserved rest or the heart which burns with the desire to protect his people?

Of course, I know that among great leaders, it is always the mind and the heart which prevail over physical convenience and comfort.

Rody Duterte’s heart and mind will prevail and he will be President of this country.

(Photo credit: Photos of Gov. Vilma Santos, Gilbert Teodoro, Carlos Dominguez, Rafael Alunan, Vitaliano Aguirre and Leni Robredo downloaded from google.com)