Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:58:00 10/28/2009
Filed Under: Inquirer Politics, Eleksyon 2010, Chiz Escudero
MANILA, Philippines—After several delays, Sen. Francis Escudero is set to announce on Wednesday his run for president under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC). But Philippine Daily Inquirer sources said he is about to drop a “bombshell.”A media advisory late Tuesday said Escudero would make a “very important political announcement” at 10 a.m., instead of a previously scheduled 6 p.m. event, at Club Filipino in San Juan City.
“Yes, he’s running. This was scheduled before but we postponed it due to the typhoons that hit the country,” said Angelito Banayo, Escudero’s campaign manager.
But Escudero’s presumed running mate, Sen. Loren Legarda, also of the NPC, won’t be around.
Legarda announced over the weekend that she was standing for vice president in the May elections. But she left open the possibility that she may be partnering with other presidential aspirants.
Surprise, surprise
Legarda, however, said she was not even informed about Wednesday’s event.
“I was surprised. I didn’t know. I wasn’t told,” Legarda said, adding that the developments had to be discussed by the party.
She said she would call a press conference, possibly in the next six days, “when I get the real story.”
“How can I react when nothing’s official yet?” she said. She admitted she had not talked with Escudero recently but dismissed speculation that Escudero was upset with her for shopping around for a presidential candidate she could latch onto.
“I don’t know, so I cannot answer that,” she said, when asked if the Escudero-Legarda tandem was still on.
Escudero hurt
However, a member of Escudero’s campaign confirmed that the senator was “hurt” by Legarda’s actions.
“She’s a party member and so she should fall in line with its decision, but Loren’s making herself available to all corners,” said a campaign member who requested anonymity.
The source said Escudero was going to meet with businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, the NPC chair, and other top party officials Tuesday about Legarda.
Escudero’s possible vice presidential candidate, the source said, could be Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, Grace Poe or Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay if Binay’s running mate, former President Joseph Estrada, is disqualified.
‘Desertions’
Referring to reported desertions, the source said Marilou Tiquia, a senior strategist with the campaign, was leaving because Escudero had decided not to renew her agency’s contract.
“That’s why I do not understand why she’s all over the place,” the source said.
The source said Escudero understood that former Sen. Serge Osmeña had to leave his campaign and move to the Liberal Party because of his close ties with the family of Sen. Benigno Aquino III. The source added that the parting was cordial.
Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20091028-232650/Escudero-may-detonate-bombshell-today
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