MANILA - Former Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes "Jun" Ebdane backed out from the presidential race and will end his 43 years of public service.

“For 43 good years, my service in government has come to an end. This local boy is coming home,” a crying Ebdane told hundreds of attendees of a proclamation rally that was supposed to be a celebration of his intent to vie for the highest seat in the country.

Supporters of his political party Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka (PMM) present at the University of the Philippine Bahay ng Alumni were both shocked and in tears when he said he is ending his career in government.

 “Ngayon lang ako sasabak sa politika, marami akong natutunan maganda at mahirap (It is only now that I have tried to enter politics, I learned a lot of things both good and difficult),” said Ebdane who has served both in the police and government for over 40 years without an elective position.

“Malawak ang grupong tumulong at nainiwala sa platapormang hinahain ng partido. But in politics, a lot has happened in less than a month,” he said.

It was understood in his supposed proclamation speech that various groups who initially supported his presidential bid retracted their support.

“Given the sudden changes and swift developments that have altered my political options... It is the right time for this public servant to bow out,” he said with teary eyes.

Although he is ending his government service, he said he is determined to build PMM. He said he has plans to expand the membership and service of PMM across the country.  

Ebdane will not win; lacks funds

In a press statement issued after the proclamation rally, he said that he is sad that lack of funds could inhibit a viable candidate like himself to run.

“I have realized that I cannot wage a decent presidential campaign without sufficient funds. Ugly as it may sound, lack of funds can unmake a viable presidential run," he told reporters.

“But as much as I wanted to serve and get the job done, the realities of presidential electoral contest have forced me to reassess my bid,” he said.

He said he did not want to burden his friends, supporters and family because he would not win, anyway.

Ebdane said friends have talked to him and insisted that he run. “But, as a retired general, I cannot allow anyone to become a sacrificial lamb in a battle where the certainty of victory has become nil,” he said.

Political plans after 2010

Political analyst Bobby Tuazon said that maybe Ebdane initially ran for president in order to negotiate running for other local or lower national positions on or after 2010.

A PMM campaign promoter told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak that they did not expect Ebdane would back out from the race.

"We prepared everything. It is said that the former secretary will no longer run, but I think he might run for a seat in the Senate, who knows,” the promoter said with a smile.

Ebdane was formerly a member of the administration party’s Lakas-KAMPI-CMD and was previously included in their senatorial line-up. Ebdane bolted the party and ran under the PMM as their standard bearer instead.

When asked during the press conference, Ebdane said that he has no plans to run for any public post  but instead will continue to serve the country by pushing for better welfare of all Filipinos especially wage workers and farmers.

 “Rest assured, however, that even as an ordinary, private citizen, I will remain steadfast in my commitment to our party and our advocacy of uplifting the quality of life of our workers and peasants,” he said.

Unexpected?

The proclamation rally’s program flowed as if Ebdane was going to run in the presidential race.

Ebdane entered with the crowds cheering his name while the song “Mga Kababayan Ko,” by late Filipino rapper Francis Magallona, was playing on loop.

There were comedic numbers and a number by the “E (Ebdane) girls” who danced to the tune of popular Korean pop group Wondergirls’ song “Nobody.”

They replaced the Korean lyrics with: “We want Ebdane, Ebdane, that’s true. Iboto: Ebdane! Ebdane, Ebdane!” The mass crowd cheered and tried to dance as well.

Tribal dancers from the Mt. Province even offered a “good luck dance” for the victory of Ebdane’s supposed presidential bid.

So when Ebdane broke down in tears on stage, people were whispering to each other: “What is happening? Is he still running?”

Their questions were quickly answered when he closed his speech at the proclamation rally: thanking everyone for their support and that he would no longer run.

PMM Platforms

If Ebdane continued on with the race, one of his main platforms was equitable distribution of wealth among Filipinos.

Being the former standard bearer of PMM, he said that he would try to improve the welfare of wage earners, overseas Filipino workers and peasants.

To do just that he said that he would specifically work for the increased rights of workers and peasants, allocate adequate government funding for health care and education and encourage greater involvement of unions, NGOs and POs discussion with the all levels of the government.

Aside from equal wealth distribution, the former general would strive for peace and unity should he be president.

It is written in the PMM manifesto that they “abhor violence as a means to achieve personal or collective political, religious, or economic objectives.” Resolving the Mindanao conflict through peaceful means but would not "waver in using legitimate force to combat enemies of the state whose agenda is to overthrow of government or the dismemberment of the country."

Ebdane said that the Mindanao problem is not as simple as waging military offensive. “It is a political problem that requires a political solution... Economic and socio-political approaches,” he said in a forum organized by senior journalists. (Read: Erap loses cool in forum with Ebdane)

The PMM manifesto claimed that farmer's income continuously declined because of importation of food products. And, coming from a party that protects farmers' rights, Ebdane said that sustainable food security could not be attained only by aiding farmers with fertilizers.

He said that appropriate technology should be tapped to increase food production and help the country be a self-sufficient food producer.