From October 2007 until as recent as June 2009 amid continuing crises of confidence in government fueled by its historic lack of credibility, when we need most to believe in democracy, two constantly provide with leadership we can trust.

Last Tuesday, when Senator Loren Legarda answered not simply political wooing but a timely appeal to serve a higher calling, the equations defining 2010’s tandems of convenience based on “winability” changed. Suddenly there was substance. Senator and Business Mirror columnist Manuel Villar chose his running mate correctly. For all the mud thrown his way, in recent history Villar is still credited for heroically rising against presidential corruption. We know that he can be relied upon to do the right thing at the right time.

The convergence of objectives at the Laurel House is not simply a matter of commonalities. Measured by third-party pollsters, the former Senate President and Legarda share, not just numerical superiority in garnering the highest mandates for the Senate, but more importantly, poll numbers show they epitomize the most trustworthy.

There is an essential distinction among those who simply provide alternatives to failed governance and those who represent underlying desires and have consistently actualized promises through advocacies, platforms and proven programs. Among the few credible before us, most fall under the first. Only Villar and Legarda are under the latter.

There is an underlying desire that pervades among the despairing, rarely felt as we view without moral imperatives either graphic images of poverty outside, or, on laptops, historic records of involuntary hunger. Distrust is something the happiest people on the planet hide well.

In any electoral derby, trustworthiness is often undeclared, not less important than competence, experience and intelligence. And not a bit less than honesty and heart. As we measure, indulge our digression from the cliché qualifications. While some might argue the atypical, to do so would be to place Arroyo on a pedestal antithetical to the 2010 exercise.

To appreciate the importance of trust, situate what Legarda and Villar represent against the status quo offered by administration candidates. Undeniably, Arroyo acts like a president. But it is likewise undeniable, she does not have the public’s trust.

Against that bleak backdrop, it helps to analyze the emergent chemistries of president-vice president tandems. Specifically analyze the Villar-Legarda option against current frontrunner’s and another that seeks a second chance for an abruptly abbreviated presidency. Ignore nuisance tandems. Ignore sideshows that waste government funds, languish in single-digit preferences; depend on an immature electorate and whose chances are backstopped by machinery or popularity.

What generates trustworthiness? To answer, look at what is said of Legarda.

Elected with votes surpassing that needed for the presidency she was quickly chosen to be the Senate’ Majority Floor Leader. Her record is substantive. She authored legislation benefiting women and children. Exceedingly competent, Legarda is likewise “naturally compassionate, (with a) deep concern to uplift the unfortunate, protect and care for the environment, improve agriculture and rural conditions, safeguard the OFWs (overseas Filipino workers), and their families and mind the weak and the sick.”

Array those against Villar’s campaign for the same constituencies, OFWs, and that from which he rose, “the poor, the weak and the sick” and one might see why the chemistry between the two is better suited than any quickly contrived for 2010.

Our best analysis comes from a particularly profound political analyst, Filipino Voices’s Patricio Mangubat, who opined that when Legarda had opened herself, it was at then that she gained our trust. According to Mangubat, when Legarda “provided us with a six-point “pro-Poor, pro-People, pro-God agenda, which was devoid of neither necropolitical imagery nor the self-serving halleluiahs of ass-lickers” here at last was a candidate with a platform.

He declares that we may not agree with her, but he “appreciate(s) that Loren took the time to analyze Filipino society and provide the direction for us to take in the next six years”.

“All these men who came before us did not even care to provide us with their visions. They only expressed their self-serving dreams, but nary anything about service or a road-map towards rehabilitating our damaged institutions. All these men who said they want the presidency for themselves, treated us shabbily, even with disdain, thinking that campaigns are showbiz affairs and the great masses are an un-thinking lot and just a waste of their precious time telling us what they intend to do.”

Res ipsa loquitur. It is likewise Villar’s circumstance. Offer genuine care and trust is returned a millionfold.

With Teodoro throwing his hat unto the presidential derby, his entry muddles the political pond even more. First, this would confuse the NPC, since previous to yesterday’s announcement, the NPC is just mulling the possibility of an Escudero-Legarda tandem. Teodoro is on leave as NPC member and he, obviously, is Danding’s closest nephew. Last year, talks circulated around coffee shops of Danding not favoring Teodoro’s  bid. With this recent development, many would probably surmise that this is Danding’s call. There is a stronger possibility that Teodoro probably decided on his own, after getting some signals from Mrs. Arroyo that he’s the secret ace of the despised president.

Teodoro might spoil Escudero’s nomination since the defense secretary enjoys the confidence of most of the NPC members. Should Teodoro do run for the nomination, that would seal the deal for a KAMPI-NPC tandem and the possible team up might be Teodoro-Escudero, leaving Legarda holding an empty bag.

If Teodoro however, fails to clinch the NPC nomination, he may probably run under KAMPI.Teodoro might be anointed as standard bearer of KAMPI, with either Revilla Jr. or Vilma Santos as vice presidential candidate. If this happens, Noli de Castro is sure to clinch the Lakas-CMD nomination.

Now on going is the police action against the estimated 50 gang members while government prosecutors hav just opened the legal battlefront against the erstwhile negotiators, now main suspects: the father and son tandem of Indanan town mayor Alvarez Isnaji and Haider ‘Jun’.

Those opening their Saturday morning newspapers and clicking the on-line editions of the main news media outlets are viewing only one front page photo — that of the Isnajis counting the ransom money, all of 5-million, or is it 3, that was handed to them by Ces Drilon. This was the amount cobbled together by Ces’ family, including her uncle, former Finance secretary and ambass ador to the Court of St. James (U.K.), Edgardo Espiritu.

These details surfaced one after the other Friday afternoon and late last night, the last aspect, that of Ces’ family putting together the ransom money, when Mr. Espiritu himself appeared on ABS-CBN’s late eveing carrier newscast Bandila.

And he did so not only to confirm he and his siblings paid the ransom, but to deny the contents of a poison text message smearing Sen. Loren Legarda about how she supposedly orchestrated the sequence in which she and Ces would emerge from the plane upon their arrival in Manila from Zamboanga.

But the more venomous aspect of the SMS message which began circulating at around 10:00-10:30 pm is about how Mr. Espiritu had allegedly told someone over a lunchen that Legarda “entered the picture ( to help in Ces’ release) only after Ces’ family had already paid P5M which went as ransom for the earlier release on June 12 of Drilon’s assistant cameraman, Angelo Valderama.

I will not quote the rest of the poison text here, given that it’s all over blogosphere.

But one particular aspect in the text that also raises eyebrows is the mention of Sen. Ed Angara’s name,”Loren and Ed Angara want Ces to seek and audience with GMA. He and Loren were also the ones who negotiated with (the) kidnappers of Arlene dela Cruz with the same MO (modus operandi).”

It is this concluding part of the text message that runs thick with venom, with the all the dark and malicious implications go with the allegation.

With the day just beginning, no reactions have yet issued from either of the two senators who are sure to bristle over the apparent smear effort against them.

Everyone in the rumor mill that is the Philippines understands unspoken elements in the poison text message.

At its very surface, the SMS apparently targets Legarda because of her standing as one of the more popular presidential wannabees in the 2010 elections and it looks like her high profile presence in the Drilon post-abduction events has made it convenient for black propaganda operators in corridors unseen to have Legarda in their crosshairs.

On the other side of the post abduction fence, the Isnajis are crying out that they are just scapegoats. Mockingly during their inquest last Wednesday night, the young Isnaji declared their innocense and said, “if this is a movie, it’s an interesting movie you are making.”

Lamitan Mayor Isnaji, who has now been suspended, is one of 7 gubernatorial candidates in the ARMM elections this August,the post also being contested by the Lakas Party’s Zaldy Ampatuan whose clan is among the strongest supporters of Pres. Arroyo. The Ampatuans are also known to have played ‘active’ roles in the 2004 presidential elections whose results remain beclouded by charges of fraud.

The lawyer of the Isnajis is Ernesto Francisco, Jr., the same barrister active in recent political tiffs including one or two against the administration. Attorney Francisco, by the way, is one of the electoral lawyers of Pampanga governor Ed Panlilio, and defense attorney to former vice president Tito Guingona (in the now dismissed rebellion case in connection with the Manila Peninsula siege).

Certain to be among the ‘attack points’ of lawyer Francisco in his defense of Mayor Isnaji will be the issue of the alleged aliases of the Drilon abductors and how these pointed to the accused.

Former MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari is reported to have “recognized” the alias of mayor Isnaji when the abduction investigation was in its earliest stages. Everyone, of course, knows the that founding MNLF chairman has a moist eye on recapturing both the helm of the MNLF, and the ARMM (where at one time Isnaji himself sat as officer-in-charge).

It should thus not surp[rise anybody that we’re hearing warnings about a possible backlash in the deep south over the jailing of mayor Isnaji.

The news media will have a lot of leads to follow in the coming days.

Now that PNP Chief Avelino Razon Jr. revealed that money changed hands for the release of ABS-CBN Anchor Ces Drilon, Loren has a lot of explaining to do. Remember that she’s the one who said that Ces was released “unconditionally”. Now, Madame Senator, what can you say about this?

Nick is right when he lambasted Loren for publicly telling the world that she’s one of the instrumental negotiators that helped in the release of Ces. Loren is not a trained negotiator. She’s a politician. And politics should not intervene with police matters such as this kidnapping.

I hate to say this, but Loren should not have allowed herself to be embroiled in this kind of situation. How can she extricate herself from this? My sources say, Loren reportedly even offered a part of her pork barrel funds to the “backers” of the kidnappers for the release. A highly reliable source even revealed that this tactic was used when Loren interceded in the release of Arlyn dela Cruz and all other hostages, including those kidnapped by communist guerillas.

This is a highly explosive and controversial issue. Imagine, a senator of the Republic involved in this scandal! The Blue Ribbon Committee or even the Senate Ethics Committee should investigate the extent of the senator’s involvement in this traversy of justice.

One, the Senate should investigate Loren if she, indeed, used her pork barrel funds in exchange for the release of Ces.

Two, how much did Loren committed to these thugs. And lastly, did Loren gave a few millions in the P5 million ransom payment given to the Vice Governor and Indanan Mayor Isnaji?

As of presstime, the PNP and the DOJ has charged Mayor Isnaji and his son Haider of four counts of kidnapping. The PNP said that they are principal players in this kidnapping charade.

Question—will government charge Loren for violating government policy against ransom payments?

I take my hat to Razon and his men for investigating this incident. Truly, sir, you have redeemed yourself in this.

For Legarda, finding the right connection to the kidnappers and being firm with them was the key to her eighth successful negotiation.

But if we look at it from the point of view of the whole aspect of government policy towards the non-payment of ransom. She is zero for eight. And if she really was successful in her endeavors, then truly there should never have been even more kidnappings after her first “success”. Give us all a friggin break, Madam Senator, this is not for the good of the people, for if it were, she would just have sat on the sidelines.

But she cared, you say? If she wanted this for the greater good of our nation, then she should have made the hardest decision of them all, to keep negotiators in front, keep the no-ransom policy intact so that we wouldn’t embolden the enemy.

The fact that there has been eight kidnappings with her as the hero of them all, is testament to the fact that the word successful is subjective if at all a reality. The fact that a senator is “needed” is testament that our military is more politicized than we thought, where politics trumps standard operating procedures. Where training is no longer needed for a negotiator, the person only needs to be a politician.

The fact that a mayor was the key negotiator, and by extension Loren Legarda, shows that the military has the lack of Standard Operating Procedures in place, where they do not have for themselves, a central individual where all information and dialogue go through. And if they do have, as they should, these SOPs, then as I have said, it is politics that still trumps everything when it comes to police and military action.

This is why we have to have ransom being paid, because there are so many people who want to be involved, that the kidnappers get what they want, the politicians get what they want, and we are all left scratching our heads as to how the kidnappers have just bamboozled us out of millions once again.

And don’t even start with me that no ransom was paid.

Board and lodging fee is ransom! Payment for LIVELIHOOD PROJECTS is ransom! Who the hell does the government think they are trying to fool? Kindergartners? Even my five-year-old niece would probably cry out, RANSOM!

Read the writing on the wall. RANSOM WAS PAID!

Let’s define ransom, “payment for the release of someone”. Uhmmm… They were released. Payment was made? Ergo, RANSOM!

The stupidity of our government, the stupidity of our politicians, does not have to trickle down to non-politicians, and actual thinking beings such as ourselves.

In the end, this was a travesty where lives were used as pawns, where politics reared its ugly head where it did not have to be, and we The Filipino People, especially those in Sulu, are no closer to getting rid of these terrorists, than before the kidnappings even took place.

Success for Loren Legarda? I’m afraid only in terms of poll numbers.

She has destabilized our negotiation process, not strengthened it. She has made a mockery of these kidnappings. And the military has once again shown why they are whipped and need to shape up if they wish to end this decades long insurgency. Ces Drilon was released by utilizing nothing short of a chaotic mess that is representative of our government and military.

What I noticed is this–the release coincided with Gloria’s trip to Davao City for the Lakas-Kampi merger ceremonies. Did Malacanan ordered its operators to settle the kidnapping issue to avoid humiliating the president who was scheduled to annoint her ARMM candidate on that day?

Was this the reason for the appearance of two duffel bags which were allegedly given by an unnamed attorney to one of the kidnappers?

Was there an order from the powers-that-be to Indanan Mayor Isnaji to end this thing immediately because the president is arriving in Mindanao and don’t want this thing to distract her?

The palace is dishing out a propaganda release saying that the AFP presence in the area forced the “unconditional” release of Ces Drilon (as what Loren Legarda told the presscon). Notice how tight-lipped Ces was when Loren was saying all these things? Maybe the AFP presence, did, indeed put the fear of God into the hearts of these young thugs.

I think though that the glitter of gold really turned things around.

And Razon and Malacanang handlers could have feared the Lady’s wrath which is worth more than 15Million.

Lastly, notice that the kidnapping only lasted ten days…an apparent and staged incident which was used as a pressure point incident for Gloria? And for what? For that precious anointment as Lakas-Kampi ARMM gubernatorial candidate?

Or, this is just a fund-raising activity in preparation for the ARMM elections. I am awaiting with bated breath how Malacanang propaganda operators would try to wiggle themselves from this.