Dropping her plan to take a leave from politics, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago will run for reelection “under all political parties” that have invited her to join their senatorial slates.“I will run as a common candidate of all parties and that is what I have told them,” Santiago said.
Another female senator, Jamby Madrigal may give up her presidential bid as she is being persuaded by the Liberal Party to join its senatorial ticket.
“She is welcome to join our team. We believe that Jamby shares our position on many issues,” Senator Mar Roxas told Standard Today.
Santiago earlier said that she intended to go on a “sabbatical leave” from politics after the end of her current term. One of the reasons she gave was she was afflicted with acute fatigue syndrome and she needed a complete rest to recover from her ailment.
The outspoken legislator said that it would not be a bad idea if she would accept the offer of both administration and opposition parties to draft her as one of their senatorial candidates.
Former President Joseph Estrada of the Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino, Senator Manuel Villar of the Nacionalista Party, presidential adviser on political affairs Gabriel Claudio, secretary general of the Lakas-Kampi, all personally conveyed their invitation for Santiago to be in their senatorial lineup. Santiago said she received a similar invitation from the Nationalist People’s Coalition.
Santiago said Senator Roxas, president of the Liberal Party, also told her he wanted her to be in his party’s senatorial ticket. She said that was before Roxas agreed to slide down to the vice-presidential slot and be replaced by Senator Benigno Aquino III as party standard bearer. She said she is amenable to running also as a guest candidate under LP. But she said she is not sure whether the offer still stands since Roxas has not yet talked with her again.
In his campaign sorties, Estrada has been telling the public that Santiago, together with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, has agreed to join his party’s senatorial team. He said they are also planning to invite Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. to be a guest senatorial bet.
When asked who is the presidential bet she will support, she said she herself is confused.
“I at least am sending the message that I will support and work with any president because all of them are qualified. Otherwise, the Commission on Elections will not allow them to file their certificate of candidacy,” the Senate’s in-house legal expert told radio station dzBB.
“It’s like I am a soldier. I will follow the order of my general. All of them can be general. It is up to the public to decide. Whoever is chosen by the public, my skills are available to that President so that he or she may move forward for the development of the country,” she said.
Santiago said the phenomenon of parties having common or guest senatorial candidates could be traced to the survey results showing who are the winnable aspirants.
Source: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNation.htm?f=/2009/november/9/nation3.isx&d=/2009/november/9
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