As early as 1983, right after the Ninoy Aquino assassination, the united political opposition (Unido) offered the presidency to his widow. And thrice spanning to early 1985, it was declined.

The word was, she was not interested. She however urged the leadership to continue organizing provincial chapters.

Soon enough like all who claim to be reluctant candidates, the proverbial slip was starting to show. The reluctant politician started travelling all over the country on a speaking tour. In 1984 while the Unido geared up for the Batasan Pambansa elections (boycotted by the Liberal Party based abroad but participated in by the Eva Estrada Kalaw Liberals), personally chosen candidates were proclaimed by the lady e.g. Manila, Dumaguete, etc. in conflict & divisive of officially proclaimed opposition ticket. Unfortunate at the time, since unity was critical for democratic forces succeeding against an entrenched martial juggernaut. But the lady in the yellow veil had a mind of her own.

Interestingly, many of her oeanointed candidates“ expecting some wonder dust or magic to shape their electoral fortunes all failed in the polls. The candidate from Dumaguete (Oriental Negros) after selling his house, publicly announced he was a sure winner because of the personal baptism. As a postscript he suffered a momentary breakdown after a stinging defeat.

On October 30, 1985, the motives were getting clearer. The Unido was able to obtain a confidential document titled A Meeting of Davids, detailing how political leadership should be wrested from Doy Laurel. The document in sophomoric code inferred how only one boy had the ball (since 1980), and what must be done to allow other playersto join in. Signatory to said document were street parliamentarians, presidentiables & yes, you know who I mean. Nobody was forthright enough to admit they too, had ambitions. In Doy's diary he writes. They were the same signatories also to the Declaration if Unity which agreed to legalize the Communist Party & swore immediate removal of the US Bases.

When the 1986 Snap Election was announced, 60 Unido Batasan Members & 25,000 delegates in Araneta Coliseum endorsed Salvador Laurel as official candidate. The democratic struggle against the Regime, hence, was divided between those who donned the Unido green and the yellow. Hard line members of Unido were of the thinking that leadership, like respect & competency must be earned & proven, never inherited nor gifted by proximity. Besides, this was not a Golda Meir or a Margaret Thatcher honed in revolution, or rising through the ranks, respectively.

Various methods of forging unity was devised by Unido e.g. toss coin, to a ridiculous palabunutan but rejected. Even the concession to sacrifice the presidency, so long as the lady was willing to be a party member of Unido, again also initially rejected. A last minute change of heart came when the yellow grouprealized their stubbornness would be exposed for what it was “ambition. In memoriam, belated Happy Birthday to Salvador Laurel, and they said he was ambitious!

P.S. Please attend Mapua H.S. 33rd Grand Alumni Homecoming on Saturday Nov. 28/09, QC Sports Club, 6pm smart casual. Raffle prizes & giveaways awaits you. Viva Mapua“ Colonel Rod Cannu HS 74.