Floored by les girls

The Philippine Star said it best: "Goodbye, Garci: Pacquiao floored in 1st round". A rueful former Commission on Election commissioner was shown swearing that he will never again venture into politics after the beating he got from a female opponent for the congressional seat in Bukidnon. The famous, or notorious Virgilio Garcillano, said to be an expert in election strategies, found himself bowing to Malou Acosta.

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Manny Pacquiao, meanwhile, probably could not believe he would be floored by a wisp of a girl, incumbent congresswoman Darlene Custodio. But he was definitely fighting out of his weight, that's why he is losing. He may never get back the millions he must have spent, but he must surely have learned valuable lessons. I hear a lot of his friends also lost - by betting on him.

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Note that the two political neophytes who lost in Mindanao were both facing women. I'm not saying they are chauvinists, but they probably underestimated the girls. By the way, the three Pinays who went to climb Mt. Everest have reportedly succeeded and actually reached the top. But so what? They are not the first women to get there, so it's not a record-breaking feat. And how much was spent to equip them for the trek? Millions I am sure. Millions that could have helped hundreds of their poor and hungry countrymen, or built dozens of Gawad Kalinga houses for the homeless. Maybe they just believe in the gag: Why do people climb mountains? Answer: Because it's there.

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Anyway, I hope their climb this time is not overshadowed by reports of anomalies like the first one where funds collected have reportedly not been accounted for until now. Shortly after the sports sections came out with the alleged scam, when a member, even a supposed leader of the first team was being called to account for the millions raised for the sortie, I was furnished a copy of the letter of the president of the country's Mt. Everest Society to this character, demanding that he report and turn over the millions he had collected as donations from several big companies, some of them multi-nationals. So far, there has been no report about his reply or explanation, and the latest is that he has left the country. Well, mountain-climbing is also a sport, and in this country, many people use sports to engage in anomalies.

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A seasoned politician is advising the candidates of the Grand Opposition not to be complacent about the lead they are having now. While it is true that they are hogging the results in the urban areas, there could still be upsets when the rural votes come in. When the coming of the totals from the hinterlands is delayed, that is time for them to get worried. Meanwhile, it is gratifying to note that the big spenders in the senatorial race are not making good showings in the results out so far. I hear, though, that even if Chavit Singson is not getting any closer to the Magic 12 cut-off, he was the topnocher in his own turf.

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What is surprising is the case of Sen. Ralph Recto. One hardly sees his name among the top 12. What could be the reason? I think it is the fact that he is campaigning on his own since his vote-producing wife, movie star Vilma Santos, is too busy with her own campaign to be governor of Batangas. Maybe Ralph is now regretting that he urged, or pushed her into that contest. Now he can't be sure of being re-elected, and may find his wife a governor, his brother a congressman, and himself jobless.

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If soldier Antonio Trillanes of the infamous Oakwood Mutiny makes it to the Senate, the administration people will be very, very sorry that they allowed him to come out and file his certificate of candidacy. It's amazing, indeed, how many votes he has, so far, been gathering. This, despite the fact that he has not even been granted bail to campaign. Maybe he does have a lucky charm. Since I purposely voted for only 10 for senators, I was almost tempted to write his name, too, but desisted only when I remembered the fright he had caused our family since we have relatives living in the vicinity.

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Meanwhile, the administration bets must be very disappointed in the absentee voters, the overseas workers who were given the privilege of voting in this election. Seems, they, too, are voting for more candidates from the opposition than from the administration. By the way, what happened to the case of those two candidates who allegedly went campaigning in Hongkong even if it was already election season?*

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