Gilbert Teodoro has all the makings of a successful politician. He was born into the right clan. He is Danding Cojuangco and Cory Aquino's nephew, the leaders of the two most important power blocs in the country in the past 25 years. He got an impeccable educational pedigree from Xavier to La Salle to UP then to Harvard with topping the Philippine Bar as his crowning achievement. Indeed, there's never been any doubt about this guy's intellectual capacity to lead.
Except that he has one fatal flaw. He is running for president under a party that has been condemned to the Dark Side since 2004. While the wicked ways of Philippine traditional politics would allow Lakas-Kampi's rank and file candidates from congressmen to town councilors to still dominate the elections come counting time, any association with its titular head, Gloria Arroyo is just too toxic for any presidential contender. In fact, Arroyo and Teodoro have never campaigned together nor have they appeared publicly in the same location since the campaign started. Some would say this is a stinging repudiation of Arroyo by Teodoro. Some say it is a smart strategy that utilizes Lakas' extensive machinery while staying away from Arroyo's kiss of death. What is clear is that both are keenly aware of one's effect on the other and they know it is not going to serve either one of them well. No one is saying, however, that Teodoro is being ungrateful for not acknowledging the president enough. In every forum for presidential candidates, Teodoro's most testy and at times trying moments are those where questions on his association with Arroyo are raised. Not only is it the 800 pound gorilla in the room, it might well be the tragedy of Gibo Teodoro.
And this is the heart of Teodoro's troubles. He can distance himself all he want from Arroyo's negative energy, but he still carries the banner of the party that is blamed for wanton corruption, electoral fraud of colossal proportions and human rights violations that could well compete with those attributed to Marcos. And the people rightfully hold him accountable for the Arroyo government's quality of governance. Not only is Arroyo not on the ballot for president, Teodoro had become the face of this monolithic and deeply-entrenched party. And while his supporters are quick to point out his sterling qualities as a leader and intellectual, the people's perception of him as Arroyo's candidate is just too strong to go away that easily. Besides, in more mature democracies, that is fair game. When a government screws up, the people are quick to remove the party that they so overwhelmingly elected in the previous elections. Although that can't be said of Arroyo. To say that she was even elected in 2004 becomes laughable in light of the hello garci tapes.
Teodoro's poor performance in the surveys is now a source of another fantastic spin by the Lakas camp. Now he is a victim. He is a victim because he is being judged as Arroyo's candidate and not the brilliant candidate that he is. He is a victim because he is being blamed for all the sins of the administration when he is running on his own. He is a victim because it's not his fault that Arroyo is seen by many as the reincarnation of the Fallen Angel. He is the victim because his powerful uncle Danding thinks he is one ungrateful protegee and that his counter spin is that he is not running for his uncle nor for his family but for the good of the country. Which is all so sweet except that it is such a bullshit.
Running so far behind in the race doesn't make Teodoro a victim, that makes him a potential loser. And running so far behind despite one's status as the ruling party's candidate with all its built-in advantages is not being a victim, it's called running a lousy campaign. Being judged as Arroyo's candidate is indeed playing the role of a victim. A willing victim. Let no one ever forget too that this man actively sought, competed for and obtained the nomination of Lakas and Arroyo's personal endorsement. He abandoned his uncle's much leaner Nationalist People's Coalition to take advantage of the muscles and stealth of Arroyo's Lakas-Kampi. Now he is stuck with it. In fact, he might have to preside over this party's total disintegration after the elections when the same wicked ways of Philippine politics would make Lakas just another minor political party when its members abandon it to join the new ruling party. Like they did from Marcos' KBL to Cory's PDP-LABAN-UNIDO to Ramos' Lakas-NUCD to Erap's NPC-PMP then back to another incarnation of Lakas-Kampi by Arroyo.
And to say that Teodoro should not be blamed for Arroyo's many sins just does not make political sense. That's what elections are supposed to do. It's supposed to bring back to the people the power to hold those who governed them accountable for how their leaders failed them. Teodoro not only shares the same party with Arroyo, he likewise served Arroyo's government in the very strategic role as Defense Secretary. He did not just play deaf when the hello garci tapes were playing, nor played blind while his colleagues in the cabinet were stealing billions in the fertilizer scam, Teodoro willingly embraced Arroyo and her government.
Why and how some people would even ignore the Arroyo aspect of Teodoro's candidacy is just too much of a spin. There's no way around it. That despite Teodoro's supposed brilliance, he failed to discern the collective impact of 10 years of unbridled greed for power and money in his decision to join her government, much less run as her party's standard bearer.
Teodoro's candidacy in Arroyo's party is no accident. And consequently, neither is his impending catastrophic defeat.
