Senator Loren Legarda has ruled out a partnership with Lakas-Kampi’s prospective standard bearer Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro in the 2010 elections, saying she cannot abandon the opposition.“I am with the opposition. I will run for a higher position under the opposition,” Legarda (Nationalist People’s Coalition) told the Kapihan media forum at the Manila Hotel.
Legarda was endorsed as a possible runningmate of Teodoro by pro-administration governors under the League of Provinces. They also proposed a coalition among the Lakas-Kampi, Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino and Nationalist People’s Coalition.
Senator Edgardo Angara, LDP president, is said to be brokering the proposed Teodoro-Legarda tandem. But Angara said that his party has yet to decide on the presidential candidate it will support. LDP is allied with the Arroyo administration.
Legarda reiterated that the NPC leadership has left to her and Senator Francis Escudero to decide who between them should be the standard bearer and the vice-presidential running mate.
“We have been talking and there are no problems so far. But we still have to discuss our common platform and how we will run the campaign,” Legarda said.
Her statement indicates that she has already forged an agreement with Escudero.
Legarda did not say whether she has agreed to give way to Escudero as NPC presidential candidate.
Majority of NPC leaders have reportedly reached a consensus to support Escudero for the number one post because he has been scoring better than Legarda in the surveys.
Escudero would have announced his political plan upon turning 40—the minimum age for president—last Oct. 10. But he deferred his announcement, saying it was inappropriate to do so while the nation is preoccupied with providing assistance to victims of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.
Legarda said business magnate Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., founder and chairman emeritus of NPC, has not interceded in the selection process to tell them who should be number one or number two.
“It is not a matter of who is number one or number two. For me, the most important is the agreement on the platform and the vision and the way the campaign will be carried out,” she told newsmen.
She said she will formally declare her 2010 political plan within the week. Earlier, she said she will do so on the birthday of her late mother Blessie Legarda on Oct. 23.
Legarda thanked the governors, mayors and other local officials who have expressed their support for her bid to seek a higher position.
In reaffirming her loyalty to the opposition, she pointed out that she ran as vice-presidential bet of the late Fernando Poe Jr. under the United Opposition in the 2004 elections. She topped the senatorial race in the 2007 elections as an opposition candidate.
Legarda said she does not believe that Cojuangco will forge a coalition with the Lakas-Kampi or force her to run under that coalition. “I don’t think that will happen. Mr. Cojuangco is already retired from politics.”
She added that if ever there are moves for an NPC-Lakas-Kampi alliance, it should be decided through a consultative process involving all party leaders.
“I will respect whatever will be the decision. But that is highly speculative,” Legarda said.
Source: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNation.htm?f=2009/october/20/nation1.isx&d=/2009/october/20
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