“Anyone who hasn’t experienced the ecstasy of betrayal knows nothing about ecstasy at all.” — Jean Genet

The 2010 election is the most heady, confusing, bizarre, and amoral contest in the annals of Philippine politics where principles have been co-opted by political expediency, financial considerations, and vested interests.

It seems that anything goes wherever and whenever it is convenient and prospectively gratifying with the caveat that the wrong choice of candidates or poor positioning can consign one to limbo for a long time.

At the very least, there are clear distinctions among the four leading candidates for the presidency in terms of experience, integrity, track record, academic qualifications, intellect, and character.

Truth to tell, one must first believe in the candidate, and one must respect the candidate for what he is.

Hence, former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, a probable winner, and a 17-year veteran mayor of San Juan throughout the regime of his idol President Ferdinand Marcos was convicted of plunder after becoming president and who was subsequently removed from office by people power in 2001.

He has since vowed to run again and vindicate himself after having been chastened, and having, hopefully, learned his lessons.

Sen. Manny Villar, chartered accountant and bland, is a self-made billionaire from the humblest of beginnings.

He is circumspect, suspicious, and astute. Then, there is Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III whose sudden rise to prominence and popularity has been phenomenal. This can only be attributed to the unprecedented tri-media juggernaut in memory of the late President Corazon Aquino.

Sen. Noynoy Aquino’s sole claim to fame is being the son of Ninoy and Cory, and his only credential is “honesty” as if he has the exclusive monopoly of this virtue.

Nevertheless, the image builders and drumbeaters have succeeded beautifully in projecting him for his honesty even if he has nothing else to offer by way of management experience, academic excellence, legislative output, and advocacies.

In a manner of speaking, Sen. Aquino III is “tabula rasa” which can either mean that it is a blank space, or it is a golden opportunity to start with a clean slate.

Then, there is Defense Sec. Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, the administration presidential candidate, who has come a long way from anonymity to front runner presidential timer of impeccable credentials.

Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, second-degree cousin of Sen. Noynoy Aquino, has all the aura and qualifications of what a president should be, provided he does not run out of time and can get his imaging campaign off the ground.

Be that as it may, politics makes for strange bedfellows.

For openers, there is no massive desertion from the administration party since the Lakas CMD-Kampi has always been a convenient party of temporary acquaintances and permanent interests.

By the same token, what is a Cory loyalist and anti-Marcos crusader, such as, Mayor Jojo “Rambotito” Binay, doing as vice presidential candidate of former President Joseph Estrada instead of remaining loyal to the memory of President Corazon Aquino and rally behind Sen. Noynoy Aquino?

And there is the Nationalist Peoples’ Coalition (NPC) of Ambassador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco whose members have enjoyed the patronage and profitable co-existence with the Arroyo administration.

As expected, its members have started to return to their mother units, so to speak.

Having no more use for the administration, the NPC now seeks new pastures.

Hence, Noynoy promoters are not only wooing Ambassador Danding Cojuangco, whom the late President Cory would have nothing to do with up to the very end, but are also enticing President Erap Estrada to give up his presidential quest and support Noynoy which effectively negates the rationale of EDSA-I and EDSA-Dos.

When all is said and done, this coming election is the most bizarre of elections where vision, other than motherhood statements, specific objectives and targets, and most important of all, character, are ignored in lieu of self-interest and political survival.

To paraphrase a noted writer, “Never explain since your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.”

You be the judge. (For comments and views, please e-mail: chaff_fromthegrain@yahoo.com.ph