Political strategy

EDITORIAL

“This is not about the elections. This is about returning the people's money."

Vice presidential aspirant and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said this in a press statement saying he stood by points he presented during last week’s PiliPinas 2016 Vice Presidential Debate hosted by CNN Philippines at the University of Sto. Tomas (UST).

 During the debate, Cayetano drew attention to the issues of corruption hounding his rival, Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. He particularly cited the plunder allegations that the Marcos family faced during martial law and Sen. Marcos' alleged involvement in the PDAF scam.

Cayetano later narrated how Marcos approached him on stage after the debate and told him, “it won’t work,” mocking his attempt of pressing his rival on the record of his family’s ill-gotten wealth and torture accusations. Cayetano said he never expected Marcos to say those words to him, but he noted that he remains unfazed by Marcos’ reaction."I will not relent in pursuing the truth behind his family's ill-gotten wealth. Senator Marcos has to understand that this is not about the elections or politics. This is about returning the people's money, money which he and his family used to enrich themselves and fund their return to power," Cayetano said.

Cayetano clarified that what he did was not a political strategy. "I would have done the same thing to any official involved in a corruption anomaly, whether or not I am running for a position in government," he said.

With Cayetano’s statement, pundits are saying whether the senator accepts it or not, deep inside him, it was a strategy designed to prop him up at the expense of his rivals. But then, such is politics. As a political analyst said, “If you want to know yourself, run for public office.”