PHNO-HL: LP-NPC-NP COALITION UP FOR 2013 / LP: TO COMPLETE 12 SENATORIAL SLATE

LP-NPC-NP COALITION UP FOR 2013 / LP: TO
COMPLETE 12 SENATORIAL SLATE
[PHOTO - NOYNOY
AQUINO & MANNY VILLAR]
MANILA, JULY 6, 2012 (BULLETIN)
By GENALYN D. KABILING and MARIO B. CASAYURAN -President Benigno S.
Aquino III may be well on the way to reconciling and working with Senator Manny
Villar Jr., his fiercest rival in the 2010 presidential elections, as their
parties enter the final stage of negotiations for a three-party coalition for
next year's polls.
The President described Thursday as "very, very successful" so far his
Liberal Party's (LP's) talks for a possible alliance with the Nationalist
People's Coalition (NPC) founded by his uncle Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco, and
the Nacionalista Party (NP) chaired by Villar.
"I think the talks were very, very successful. But I will leave it up to our
party (LP) President, Mar Roxas, to make the appropriate announcements," Aquino,
who is LP chairman, said in a press conference after attending an agriculture
forum in Pasay City.

[PHOTO - REMEMBER THE 2010 PRESIDENTIAL
CONTENDERS?]
In the other side of the metropolis, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto
III, a ranking NPC official, confirmed that Cojuangco had been in talks with
leaders of the ruling party and the NP but declined to name names.
Sotto said he could only quote their party founder as saying that
negotiations for a coalition among the country's three biggest political parties
have entered the final stages of ironing out issues.
Even Senator Franklin M. Drilon, a ranking LP leader, confirmed there are
coalition talks going on but stressed he was not at liberty to reveal the
details.
"In reality, we cannot have a pure LP (senatorial) slate. We do not have a
monopoly of politics. So, we will have coalitions with a number of political
parties. Talks are going on," Drilon said.
Despite having massive resources, the LP is reportedly hard-pressed in
finding 12 senatorial candidates within its ranks. An option being considered
was to tap other candidates from other political parties who support the
programs of President Aquino.
"Let me just say that these are not very easy things to come up with. There
are a lot of complications and we are very careful because we want a coalition
partner that is in sync with us in so far as the programs of the President are
concerned," Drilon said.
Of the four senatorial candidates initially preferred by the President, only
Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ruffy Biazon is a member of the Liberal
Party.
Other frontrunners endorsed by the President are Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo
"Sonny" Angara of Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director-General Joel Villanueva of the
Citizen's Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) party list group, and former Rep.
Risa Hontiveros-Baraquiel of Akbayan party-list.
Senatorial bets eyed from NP are re-electionist senators Alan Peter Cayetano
and Antonio Trillanes IV, and Villar's wife, former Las Piñas City Rep. Cynthia
Villar.
For Sotto, he personally wants reelectionist Senators Loren Legarda (NPC),
Gregorio Honasan II (Ind.) and Francis "Chiz" Escudero in the possible
three-party coalition senatorial slate.
Honasan may be drawn to the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), formed by Vice
President Jejomar Binay of PDP-Laban party and former President Joseph Estrada
of the Pwersa Masang Pilipino (PMP) in which Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile
is an official.
But Sotto claims Honasan is amenable to being a guest candidate of the
coalition being formed among the LP, NPC, and NP.
Escudero also became an independent after leaving the NPC, following his
failed bid to seek the presidency in the 2010 presidential elections.
For its part, the LP is reportedly eyeing NPC member, Valenzuela City Mayor
Sherwin Gatchalian, to be in the senatorial lineup for 2013.
FROM GMA7 NEWS NETWORK
LP eyes alliance to complete 2013 senatorial lineup — Drilon
MANDY FERNANDEZ, GMA News July 5, 2012 12:52pm
Saying the Liberal Party under President Benigno Aquino III may not
be able to complete its 12-candidate senatorial slate for the 2013 elections, a
party official hinted the LP may welcome the possibility of a political
alliance.
LP vice chairman Senator Franklin Drilon admitted the LP's inability to a
complete its senatorial lineup, GMA News' Nimfa Ravelo said in a report on
"Dobol B sa News TV."
Drilon said the ruling party is currently engaged in talks for a possible
coalition with another political party, but did not identify the group he had in
mind.
However, he said LP has to be "choosy" in picking a political group, and that
the LP would only accept parties and candidates who support the advocacy and
programs of President Aquino.
LP will reportedly field Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, Aurora Rep. Sonny Angara,
former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, Customs Commissioner Rodolfo Biazon, TESDA
Chairman Joel Villanueva, Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr., former United Nationalist
Alliance candidate Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel and Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino
IV, the President's cousin.
Earlier, Drilon said that while the LP is open to coalitions, he was not keen
on having guest candidates for the party. — LBG, GMA
News



Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All
rights reserved




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