President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will not be able to get Pampanga's second district on a silver platter if she decides to run in 2010, University of the Philippines Professor Randy David declared Saturday.

"Ipinapangako ko lamang na hindi magiging madali kay Pangulong Arroyo. Hindi niya makukuha ang segunda distrito on a silver platter (I promise that it will not be easy for President Arroyo. She will not get the second district [of Pampanga] on a silver platter)," David said during an interview over radio dzMM.

The professor admitted that it would not be easy for him to block Mrs. Arroyo's rumored plan to run for a seat in Congress, and that it seemed "a quixotic quest... probably foolish," but he promised that he will do everything "to make that difficult for her."

Cabinet Secretary Silvertre Bello told reporters at a press briefing in Malacañang that the political clash between the professor and Mrs. Arroyo is like "David versus Goliath."

"But that does not mean we are confirming David’s winning over Goliath this time," Bello added. "I am very confident about it, that she is extremely popular in her place.”

Bello added that David would be a "worthy opponent" of Mrs. Arroyo, and Malacañang welcomes his intention to join the political fray.

He said David's intention to run against Mrs. Arroyo is "normal human craving" to challenge a heavyweight.

“People would want to challenge the heavyweight, not the lightweight, because if you win over the lightweight, your victory is meaningless,” Bello said.

Mission not ambition

David said he is planning on joining the congressional race as part of his advocacy, to put a stop to Mrs. Arroyo and her administration's reign over the country.

He said he believes rumors that Mrs. Arroyo will make her seat in Congress as a stepping stone to stay in power as prime minister, under a parliamentary government.

"Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit natin sasarhan ang pintuang binubuksan nilang iyan sa pamamagitan ng con-ass (Constituent assembly) (That is the reason why I want to close that window the they (administration) want to open through con-ass)," the professor said.

He said he believes he has a good chance if he runs against a Goliath, who has the advantage of the incumbency and "unlimited resources at her disposal."

"Sapagkat ako ay naniniwala na sa kaibuturan ng ating mga puso, tayo ay nagnanais ng isang malalim na pagbabago sa ating lipunan kaya naghahanap tayo ng alternatibo sa mga umiiral na trapo, traditional politician," he said.

In 2007, Pampanga elected a Eddie "Among Ed" Panlilio, a priest, who took the chance of running against the most influential political families in the province.

The professor said that he will put off his plan if Mrs. Arroyo decides not to run. He said he also has no intentions of challenging Mrs. Arroyo’s son, Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo in the elections.

Liberals' support

The leadership of the country's oldest political party said Friday that it will back David if he decides to challenge Mrs. Arroyo in the 2010.

“Magandang ideya iyan. Hindi mag-aatubili ang liderato ng LP na gawing official candidate si Prof. Randy David para kalabanin si GMA sa Pampanga,” Sen. Manuel Roxas, who is also Liberal Party president, said.

"We will support him and back him 100 percent. We believe that Ka Randy has the ability and will make a good representative of the district," he added.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan also welcomed David's plan, saying that the congressional race will be a fight between David and Goliath.

“As a fellow Cabalen, we welcome all efforts at providing real alternatives to politics as usual. This will be a fight between David and ‘Glorialath’; a fight between the politics of genuine change, and the politics of ‘more of the same,'" he said in a statement.
 
Pangilinan said the 2010 elections is a challenge to the electorate, as Filipinos are looking beyond popularity and political patronage.
 
“It’s time for more of our people to step up and challenge traditional politics. Trapo politics and governance have not brought us anywhere near the progress achieved by so many of our ASEAN neighbors. With all due respect, PGMA represents more of the same, and relative to the rest of the region’s economic growths, more of the same has not worked," he said.