CJ REYNATO PUNO TO LEAD ANTI-TRAPO SENATORIAL LINE-UP

Leave it to Senator Panfilo Lacson of knowing exactly how to create a stir in the already highly-dynamic political scene. In January 15, he shocked the nation where he declared that he would no longer run in deference to Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno who rumors have it is being wooed to run for the top position. It seems that Ping's pronouncement is true. A signature campaign that is supposedly aimed at gathering two million signatures is currently underway in the different parts of the nation but with majority of the signatures targeted to be culled in Metro Manila.

Group behind Signature Campaign

A group calling itself the “Ayaw sa Trapo Movement” or ASTM has been persuading CJ Puno to enter Philippine politics via the 2010 elections. The campaign which has already accumulated half a million signatures in various Luzon provinces and in Metro Manila would be used by the group to compel the Chief Justice to lead their already created senatorial line-up which will bank on the “non-traditional senatoriables” as its tag-line.

The ASTM which is purportedly led by Bishop Nilo Tayag who acts as its “figure-head” has been taking advantage of the clamor for a “third force” and “moral force” to gain adherents for their cause and has now successfully gained the thumbs up sign from 22 organizations who have all committed to support the “anti-TRAPO electoral slate in 2010” of said group. These groups which are composed of so-called progressive lefts, cause-oriented, civil society and religious groups and identified followers of former President Joseph Estrada are willingly lining themselves up under the anti-trapo agenda of the ASTM in an obvious attempt to belong and avoid being left out and thus tagged as a supporter of the current administration.

Said senatorial lineup is apparently made up of two incarcerated high-ranking AFP officials, a religious leader, a military officer turned lawyer turned 2007 senatorial loser, a senior state prosecutor and an incumbent representative of a province in Visayas. However, as early as now the inclusion of the two military officials in one lineup is causing a rift between the supporters of the younger officer and that of the more senior one. The rift supposedly stems from the fact that the Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is supporting the older one and is running under his political banner – the Magdalo Party.

Senatorial Slate Bared

Mainly because they do not belong to so-called traditional politicians, or so they claimed, the following personalities were considered and subsequently included in the ASTM-backed list of senatorial wannbes, hopefully with CJ Puno as its presidential candidate to lead them in 2010: Army Brigadier General Danilo Lim, Marine Colonel Ariel Querubin, Aglipayan Bishop Nilo Tayag, Kapatiran Party Head Zossimo Jesus Paredes, State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco and Iloilo 5th District Congressman Rolex Suplico.

Reaching Out to Grassroots

In an apparent haste to put their plans into motion, the Ayaw sa Trapo Movement is now well into their resource gathering activities among foreign international non-governmental organizations that have once supported anti-Gloria moves in the past and is also taking advantage of the ongoing signature campaign to ask those who signed to give voluntary contributions to their cause.

Manifestations of Early Campaign Activities

As early as February 23, the plans of General Lim has been proven by the statement of support issued by organizations such as the Bagong Katipunan, the Nationalist Army of the Philippines; Magdalo; Yes, Arms: YOU; Samahang Magdalo; Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabayan and Guardians.

On the part of CJ Reynato Puno, it was learned that Retired Col Renaldo Cabauatan who is actually the real leader of the ASTM is the one personally seeing to the signature campaign or a euphemism for campaign activities for the chief justice. Both being members of the Masonry, Colonel Cabauatan plans to use his apparently-innate influence among retired and active military and police personnel to gain signatures for the petition letter for CJ Puno to heed the alleged clamor for his candidacy in May 2010.