Another wow! GMA beats Panday in Pulse Asia poll?

What do you make of the hot-off-the-press Pulse Asia survey revealing that President Macapagal-Arroyo has just edged out FPJ – by 0.2 percent – in its Ulat ng Bayan survey ending February 16 to 20? GMA got 31.9 versus the 31.7 of Fernando Poe Jr.

Champagne corks will be popping in the Palace, and happy yahoos will be emanating from the Presidential caravan (all government vehicles, it appears) while Poe’s fans may be muttering imprecations and crying "foul". However, surveys are tricky to read. What's the "margin of error"? 1 to 2 percent? It’s still a marginal toss-up.

Pulse Asia, of course, explains that if elections "were held today it would be a very close fight for the presidency between President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Mr. Fernando Poe, Jr." Even this bland assertion will surely be assailed by Panday supporters as "conditioning" the public’s minds for GMA getting a "hidden assist" from hackers or agents inside the Commission on Elections. With the Comelec’s image so badly frayed, alas, there are many who will believe this charge.

As for ex-Senator and former Education Secretary Raul Roco of Alyansa ng Pag-asa (Alliance of Hope) and Aksyon Demokratiko, he’s slipped to third place, a dismal 16.2 percent, when only last November 2003, he used to be the clear front-runner with 30.6 percent. Howls, too, from the Roco camp can be expected.

Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson remains consistently in fourth, with 10.7 percent.

But it’s early days yet. The campaign is just getting into full gear. So are the Dirty Tricks departments.

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The Comelec got slapped down anew by the Supreme Court decision yesterday declaring, in effect, FPJ as the only "official" Presidential candidate of the opposition Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), since it was Poe who was nominated by LDP Party Chairman Edgardo Angara.

The 23-page decision, in which Justice Dante Tinga was the ponente, pointed out that all the Comelec should have to resolve the issue was consult the LDP Charter where it was clear that only the party chairman (Angara), and not a rival faction headed by the party Secretary-General (Makati Rep. Agapito "Butz" Aquino), could sign certificates of candidacy. The High Tribunal’s decision noted that the party secretary-general can sign certificates only when given authority by the chairman.

In this battle for authority between Angara and Aquino, then, former Executive Secretary and Senate President Angara came out vindicated.

Where does this leave Presidential candidate Ping Lacson? Running as an "independent", I suppose. What’s interesting would be to conjecture on what would happen IF the Supreme Court – just if – disqualifies FPJ later? Could Lacson then be recruited anew as the LDP bet? In a nation of 50,000 heat-seeking lawyers, there will certainly be more debate on that question.

In the meantime, the Supreme Court has scolded the Comelec. "By creating the two wings (Angara wing and Aquino wing) the Comelec effectively diffused the LDP’s strength and undeniably emasculated its chance of obtaining the Commission’s nod as the dominant majority party," the ruling stated.

Alikabok says the Palace had secretly been "hoping" the reverse had occurred: That Butz Aquino had won and Lacson confirmed as the official LDP standard bearer. You don’t need three guesses to figure out why.

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Lacson is a fighter who cannot be discounted, whatever the poll surveys may say. There’s a strong undercurrent of unease among our population about the law and order situation. Lacson’s kamay na bakal approach may attract growing support if crime and – don’t forget – rebellion escalate.

Just look at the Presidential race in the United States. The elections there are not until November, but yesterday, American President George W. Bush kicked off his campaign with a dig at the Democratic Party’s front-running aspirant, Massachusetts Senator (and Vietnam War veteran) John Kerry.

As a timely reminder that the public mood is fickle, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, who had been tipped to win the Democratic primaries and grab the opposition Democratic Party’s nomination as an early favorite, glumly dropped out of the race last Sunday (February 22) after having been clobbered in the Wisconsin primaries.

Kerry, who had looked like a loser two months ago, has been racking up triumph after triumph, copping 15 out of 17 state contests, and has acquired almost a stranglehold on his party’s nomination. I say "almost" because the final "decision" will be made next week, on March 2, called the "Super Tuesday", because Democratic Party members in California, New York, Ohio and seven other states will vote on whom they wish to be their candidate to face-off against the Republican Party’s Dubya Bush. Kerry, of course, owing to his previous sweeps has acquired what they call the "Big Mo", the Big Momentum.

The phenomenon of the year is North Carolina’s formerly underestimated Senator John Edwards, a previous unknown. Trading on his JFK-type good looks, his infectious grin, his sunny personality (believe me, pogi counts in America, too), Edwards came surprisingly close behind Kerry in the tough Wisconsin contest, taking 34 percent of the vote, tailgating Kerry’s 40 percent – a much stronger showing than many polls had predicted. Mind you, Edwards is only 49, and hails from the comparatively obscure city of Seneca, North Carolina. A small-town boy, from Hicksville, apparently. But everytime he lost a primary, this unflappable guy Edwards would bounce onstage, thank his supporters with that million megawatt smile of his, and act as if he had just won the Battle of Gettysburg. That’s what made him stand out – his fighting spirit.

Kerry is far ahead, but Super Tuesday will now be a "two-man race" between Kerry and Edwards, with most of the others, including NATO ex-General Wesley Clark having given up.

The moral of this tale, if any, is "never give up".

Then there’s consumer advocate Ralph Nader, who’s just entered the race.

Whatever they say, Dubya Bush, in my book – palpaks and all – is still the man to beat. But I’m not trying to "meddle" in the US elections. We’ve got troubles enough with our own, right here at home.

Graft and corruption? Just looking at the Boeing scandal – a megabuck drama now ongoing.

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I had a fascinating two-hour one-on-one with Bro. Eddie Villanueva, who’s suddenly all over the place as a candidate of Bangon Pilipinas. I chided Brother Eddie for having snatched that name from our friend and colleague, STAR Columnist and former Press Secretary Teddy Man Benigno, but he grinned and insisted, "I used it first."

I think that since his proclamation rally last Sunday in the Luneta, Bro. Eddie’s aims and platform have already been well-ventilated. So I won’t dwell on them.

What’s impressive is the "Jesus is Lord" preacher’s non-stop ability to dredge up facts, figures, statistics, anecdotes and even trivia. I believe that when I put him on Impact, my upcoming television program on ANC (ABS-CBN), all I’ll have to do is ask the first question, then Brother Eddie will do the speaking for the rest of the show.

Incidentally, my first guest will be FPJ. (The President, Raul Roco, Ping Lacson have already accepted.)

Coming back to Brother Eddie: What touched me most was his dedication. He recalled his five years as a Communist, a Kabataan Makabayan agitator and troublemaker. And the "miracle" that turned him around, from hatred to love.

His sister, Leni Villanueva Buan Narciso, a former radical activist herself, had earlier emigrated to Los Angeles, Calif., and become a "Born Again" Christian leader. (She now runs the "Faith in Christ" ministry in L.A.) Leni had written Eddie to turn to the Bible, instead of Marx and Mao. He resented this admonition, scolding her for "having become stupid". Yet, he started reading the Bible, and angrily debating with the Lord about his resentments, and the injustice concerning a land dispute involving his own family. "And, behold," he beams. The Lord sent a miracle, the impossible dispute was solved.

His sister had urged him to "lift up your heart" and "ask the Holy Spirit for enlightenment".

He now has a prayer of his own: "Lord Jesus, forgive me for all my sins – cleanse me with Your Holy Blood. I surrender my life to you. Be my Lord and be my Savior."

Of course, Brother Eddie isn’t just counting on The Lord. He’s got Channel 11, where he hosts three ZOE programs – i.e., Diyos at Bayan, PJM (Philippines for Jesus Movement) Forum and Jesus The Healer. How did he get Channel 11? By Congressional franchise with Speaker Joe de Venecia leading the House of Representatives at the time, and the late Senate President Nepthali Gonzales in the upper chamber – and, he says, it was President Cory C. Aquino’s Administration, not FVR’s, in which that TV channel was granted to him.

Manna from heaven, I guess.