Ex-PLLO chief to polls’ tail-enders: ‘Time to re-assess your position’

FORMER presidential political adviser and Cabinet secretary, Jaime ‘Jimmie’ Policarpio Jr., advised the ‘tail-enders’ in the presidential election next year that the time has come for them to “re-assess” their position—of whether to still pursue their candidacy or give up.

Guesting at the DZRH radio program of veteran broadcast journalist, Cesar Chavez on December 24, 2021, Policarpio, political adviser to former Pres. Joseph Estrada and head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO), was invited as an expert panelist to comment on the latest pre-poll survey results of DZRH and Pulse Asia, with both showing former senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong/BBM’ Marcos Jr., having a commanding lead over his 7 other rivals.

Aside from being political adviser to Estrada, Policarpio is also a long-time political adviser and chief of staff of then Senate President Ernesto Maceda.

In the Pulse Asia face-to-face survey conducted between December 1 and December 6, 2021, involving 2,400 respondents with a margin of error of 2 percent, Marcos got an overall percentage of 53 percent, with Vice President Leni Robredo a faraway second placer at 20 percent. Statistically tied at 8 percent are Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso and Sen. Emmanuel ‘Manny/Pacman’ Pacquiao.

They were followed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson at 6 percent while labor leader Leody de Guzman, former Army general Antonio Parlade Jr. and former national security adviser, Norberto Gonzales, all got less than 1 percent of voters’ preference.

In the DZRH survey conducted between December 11 and December 12, 2021, involving 7,614 respondents with an error margin of 1.13 percent, Marcos was favored by 49.2 percent of the respondents followed by 16.2 percent of those who favored Robredo and Domagoso at 10.4 percent.

“Other presidentiables in the race are senators Manny Pacquiao (8.2), Christopher “Bong” Go (5.8), and Panfilo “Ping” Lacson (4.9); followed by Philippine Armed Forces veteran Antonio Parlade (0.5), and labor rights advocate Leody De Guzman (0.3),” said DZRH in its statement.

Despite Marcos’ commanding lead, Policarpio, a veteran of over a dozen political exercise, warned that it is very “rare” for any candidate to sustain his rating up to the day of the election, citing the case of former Vice President Jejomar Binay and former Senate President Manuel Villar in the 2010 presidential election.

Both Binay and Villar, he noted, got destroyed by accusations of corruption, the former over the alleged overpricing of the Makati Parking Building during his term as mayor and Villar over the C-5 road extension project. Villar is a respected property developer.

But in the case of Marcos, who is still being blamed for the alleged excesses of his late father, Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, Policarpio said the accusations are not resonating with the voters.

“Ayaw na ng mga tao (Filipinos) ng away… mahigit 25 taon na (ang panawagan) ‘tuloy ang laban,’ pagkatapos, ‘lalaban’ ulit. Ayaw na ng tao. (Bakit) yung kasalanan ni Pedro, bakit ibibintang mo kay Juan,” Policarpio opined.

‘Re-assess your position’

In the same interview, Policarpio noted that other than the reasons he earlier cited, the presidential campaign does not start “six months” before the election, when asked what ‘went wrong’ in the campaign of other candidates besides Marcos.

Citing the case of Estrada, Policarpio noted the former has a very long preparation for the presidency, starting when he was mayor of San Juan in the ‘70s and to his becoming vice president in 1992.

“Iba na ang kultura ng botante ngayon, kailangan kunin ang damdamin ng botante,” Policarpio said, in addressing the campaign strategies of the candidates.

Unsparing in his observations, Policarpio noted that Lacson is only “known” among the members of the press but not among the ordinary Filipinos who have yet to see him regularly mingle with them.

As for Pacquiao, Policarpio said the famed boxer is “spending too much money too soon… what he needs is to convert his popularity into votes.” As for Moreno, Policarpio said the Manila mayor “peaked too early” (“maaga siyang umangat”).

As for the Vice President, Policarpio said she represents “another group,” which is the vested or
“interest” group in the country.

Policarpio added that while Robredo’s rating continues to rise, she is getting the votes from other candidates but not significantly from Marcos.

As for the tail-enders, Policarpio’s friendly advice is for them to reconsider in pursuing their candidacy.

“It is time for them to re-assess their position,” he said.