All eyes on Erap, Escudero

by Fel V. Maragay


Former President Joseph Estrada and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay reset the announcement of their partnership under Puwersa ng Masa-PDP Laban coalition from Oct. 14 to Oct. 21, raising speculation that the deposed leader was engaged in coalition talks with other opposition groups.

But it looks like there’s no stopping another oppositionist, Senator Francis Escudero, from joining the presidential race. Escudero is expected to declare his plan today but he will not announce anything yet about having Senator Loren Legarda as his running mate in the 2010 elections.

Escudero and Legarda were supposed to meet yesterday, a day after his 40th birthday, to finalize their teamup under the Nationalist People’s Coalition. But close associates of Legarda said no such meeting took place while Escudero’s media relations officer disowned any knowledge about it.

Aguilar said Escudero would face newsmen at the Senate press office alone. This deviates from a plan for Escudero and Legarda to hold a joint press conference.

Such seemingly queer turnout of events implied that there were still unresolved hitches that prevent the two from firming up their tandem. But Escudero’s media officer told Standard Today: “As far as I know, they have already agreed to team up.”

Unverified reports circulated over the past two days on why the announcement of the Escudero-Legarda and Estrada-Binay has been put off.

According to one report, negotiations are now going on for Escudero and Estrada to team up to boost the opposition’s chances of recapturing the presidency. Estrada is allegedly being persuaded by some NPC stalwarts to slide down to the vice presidency. Such compromise is deemed advantageous to Estrada since this will free him from any legal impediments if he runs for the president that may only lead to his disqualification by the Commission on Elections.

Next, Escudero is rumored to be planning to run for president as an independent after he was allegedly disappointed with the way NPC was handling its political plan.

Another report said Binay is gravitating toward the camp of Senator Noynoy Aquino, whose mother, the late President Corazon Aquino, was very close to the Makati mayor.

These developments, the sources said, have forced Legarda to consider other options. She told media last week that at least five presidential contenders are courting her to be their running mate.

These presidentiables are Escudero, Estrada, Villar, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro of Lakas-Kampi and Senator Richard Gordon of Bagumbayan.

Legarda also said she has not yet given up on her presidential bid but she will stay with the opposition, instead of entering into any alliance with the administration.

In the face of all these speculations, Estrada has made it clear that he is definitely running for president. But analysts say his bid to return to Malacañang has been undermined by recent events in the political landscape.

They said the entry of Aquino into the presidential race has put Estrada, 72, at a disadvantage because it has now turned into a battle among the younger leaders. They also said that the former president’s political plans have been seriously impaired by the recent exposés made by his erstwhile ally, Senator Panfilo Lacson, about his real character and his alleged involvement in shady business deals during his two-and-a-half-year presidency.

Unfazed by the adverse turn of events, Estrada said he was prepared to face all these obstacles. “We have done our best. Let the people decide on who among the presidential aspirants they think will be the most capable to lead the country,” he told his followers during campaign sorties.

Sources revealed that the coalition’s prospective senatorial candidates would attend the PMP-PDP Laban assembly.

They are Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Ilocos Norte Rep. Bongbong Marcos, Makati City Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr., businessman Joey de Venecia III and Mary Grace Poe Llamanzares (daughter of the late actor Fernando Poe Jr. and actress Susan Roces).

According to sources, negotiations are still going on for the inclusion of the following into the group’s senatorial slate: film actor/television host Edu Manzano, renegade Army Gen. Danilo Lim, and Agusan del Sur Rep. Rodolfo Plaza.

Lawyer Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III is also included in the lineup although he said he was more inclined to pursue his electoral protest against Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri with the Senate Electoral Tribunal.


Source: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNation.htm?f=2009/october/12/nation1.isx&d=/2009/october/12