Giba

Mark Salanga of ABS-CBN News Bacolod today reports: “The wife of business tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr. said they are dismayed with their nephew, Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard bearer Gilberto ‘Gibo’ Teodoro Jr..

“Gretchen Cojuangco said that her husband Danding, who is chairman emeritus of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), would support a candidate, but not Teodoro.
“Teodoro was formerly a member of the NPC, but switched to the administration party where he became its standard bearer.
“Mrs. Cojuangco made the statement in an interview during a visit to the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City on Saturday.
“ ‘Anybody but Gibo. Anybody,’ she told reporters, after being asked who her husband would support between Teodoro and their other nephew, Liberal Party standard bearer Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III.

“ ‘I'm just a wife that's why ga lain ang buot ko (sumasama ang loob ko) for my husband,’ she said in Ilonggo.
Mrs. Cojuangco said that Danding helped Teodoro for 9 years, but he failed to thank his uncle and then suddenly left their party.
“ ‘My husband had the biggest plans and belief for him, being so intelligent,’ she said.
She also said that Teodoro did not ask permission from his uncle when he left NPC for Lakas.
“ ‘We felt very bad for him,’ she said.
She also belied reports that Teodoro and her husband are okay with each other.
“ ‘He tells everybody everything's right with him and his uncle. Sala eh (mali eh). Maybe with him, but his conscience tells him otherwise. I don't know what kind of conscience that is,’ she said.
“When pressed on who her husband will support in the elections, she said ‘Anyone, that means anyone.’
“Mrs. Cojuangco was guest speaker during the graduation of policemen who took up masters’ degrees at the university, through a scholarship program funded by Cojuangco.
“Danding, meanwhile, is reportedly back in the hospital due to a heart-related health concern.”

The report confirms what has long been believed: that Gibo had betrayed his Godfather and the rest of the family.

But deeper than this, the report confirms for many what has been going around in the social circles: story for the deep hatred of Madame Gretchen for Gibo’s wife, the fashionable Congresswoman Monica Louise “Nikki” Prieto-Teodoro.

Gretchen has been pissed (not a word used in polite society, mind you) at Nikki because she would pooh-pooh Gibo’s side of the family as nouveau riche. At one party in the Cojuanco residence, it has been said, Nikki even demanded to leave immediately and dared Gibo to choose between her and the Godfather. Madame Gretchen was infuriated at the disrespect.

During the selection process for the NPC presidential standard-bearer, it is said that Danding was in a tizzy over choosing what’s good for business and what’s good for his sanity. Gibo would have been the right business choice over Salvador “Chiz “ Escudero, since the latter was a loose canon and will definitely compromise and measure of control should he win. (This should be an interesting story for another time.)

But Danding was also concerned over the household’s sanity, with Gretchen on the rampage and the perception that he is not able to handle his family.

In the end, it seems that he chose neither.

Is this, perhaps, the reason for the heart problems and thus the frequent trips to St. Luke’s Hospital?