MANILA, Philippines - Leading opposition presidential aspirants are not uniting behind Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, despite his growing popularity after the death of his mother former President Corazon Aquino last month.
Sen. Manuel Villar Jr., the Nacionalista Party’s standard-bearer, said everybody has the right to run for president and what happened to the Liberal Party is an issue that LP members would have to resolve among themselves.
LP president and Sen. Manuel Roxas II, who was the party’s initial standard-bearer, announced last Tuesday that he would give way to Senator Aquino to keep the party united behind the son of the late President Aquino.
“Sa aking palagay lahat naman may karapatang tumakbo sa pagkapangulo at maski naman anak ka ng mahirap may karapatan ka din, anak ka ng president may karapatan ka din, kaya lang hindi naman tama na anak ka lang ng president na may pagkakataon, dapat naman yung anak ng mahihirap ay mabigyan din ng pagkakataon naman at ngayon nga ang nagkakagusto lang ay anak ng mga may apelyido (in my opinion everybody has the right to run for president, even the children of the poor or son of a president, but it is not right that only the son of a president has the opportunity… the son of the poor should also have the same opportunity as one with pedigree),” Villar told radio dzRH.
Villar clarified that did not mean he was not honoring the memory of President Aquino.
“I respect the late President Cory Aquino. She was a friend and she was able to help me, too. I acknowledge (her contributions) and I am saddened by her death. I admire (Aquino’s father, the late senator and national hero Benigno) Ninoy Aquino (Jr.) and former President Corazon Aquino for what they have done when they were still alive,” Villar said.
It is now possible for NP and LP to be the two main contending parties in the 2010 elections, as it was during pre-martial law years when the country only had two major political parties contesting the elections, said Villar.
Villar, who is leading the recent popularity surveys of presidential aspirants, said he could attribute his high ratings to the support he was getting for assisting the poor and overseas Filipino workers.
Erap rejects Lacson’s advice
Former President Joseph Estrada said yesterday he would not take any “unsolicited advice” from Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who caused the “disunity of the opposition in the 2004 elections.”
Lacson had urged Estrada to withdraw from the presidential polls and support Sen. Aquino and unite the opposition behind a common candidate to defeat the administration’s standard-bearer.
Estrada said how can he even listen to Lacson, who himself was the first to destroy the unity of the opposition when his close friend, the late movie actor Fernando Poe Jr. ran for president in 2004.
He said the administration easily cheated Poe in 2004 because Lacson also ran for president at the time.
Estrada also rejected the offer of Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay to mediate between him and Sen. Aquino, to have a single opposition presidential candidate in 2010.
Estrada said he would lose his credibility if he will give way to Aquino who belongs to the Liberal Party (LP).
“It is the LP’s own affairs and I don’t have anything to do with the LP,” Estrada said.
Estrada has consistently said that he will run if the opposition presidential aspirants fail to unite and support a common candidate.
He said he it is just a matter of time before he officially declares his presidential bid in 2010, which will most likely happen either on the last week of the month or first week of October.
Lacson said unity in the opposition could only be achieved if Estrada himself starts the process by excluding himself from the race.
“Kung ganyan ang intention niya mauna na siya. Di pupwede pag lahat kayo aatras, aatras din ako. Kung ikaw piniprisinta mo ang sarili, bilang leader, dapat mauna ka sa unification mode,” Lacson said.
Lacson, who had shelved his plan to run for president again, said Estrada’s challenge for all opposition presidential aspirants to back out from the race “is not a mark of a true leader” but more that of a politician.
Lacson said it is up to Estrada if he will pursue his presidential bid even though there could be some constitutional issues that he needs to thresh out.
Another presidential hopeful, Jesus Is Lord spiritual leader Brother Eddie Villanueva vowed to pursue his presidential bid for the 2010 elections.
“The only way to achieve Bangon Pilipinas’ vision of a new Philippines and platform of righteous governance is to stay on in the race,” Villanueva said in a statement.
Villanueva said he respects the decision of LP president Sen. Roxas, but it will not dissuade him from pushing through with his plans for the country.
“The Liberal Party’s move does not influence Bangon Pilipinas’s own plans,” Villanueva added
Villanueva said Bangon Pilipinas offers to the electorate a true alternative in the coming 2010 polls.
Roxas reiterates support for Noynoy
Roxas expressed belief that Aquino was fit to be president and that various reform groups would rally behind him.
“What I did would only have meaning if the forces of change would win. But if we will only go our own ways, then it’s nothing. If traditional politicians win, that is not what we want,” Roxas said.
He and Aquino said they were happy to hear that those from reform groups like Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca and Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio and their supporters would now support LP.
He would give Aquino moral and financial support and would campaign for him.
Sen. Aquino announced last Wednesday that he would go on a spiritual retreat in Zamboanga City this weekend to seek spiritual guidance as he considers whether he will run for president under the LP.
Roxas said he and Aquino would like to continue the legacy of their parents. Roxas is the son of former senator Gerardo Roxas and Judy Araneta-Roxas.
His father and Aquino’s father were also supposed to slug it out for LP standard-bearer if martial law was not declared in 1972.
Roxas said Sen. Aquino is ready for the job.
“The single and most important trait that a leader must possess is character, the heart. And I know that Aquino’s character and heart are in the right places. He carries the greatness of his parents. You can trust the heart. ‘Yung diwa, yung puso… para sa akin na kay Noynoy iyon,” Roxas said.
Meanwhile, Marcos loyalist Lawyer Oliver Lozano vowed to join the presidential race if Sen. Aquino decides to become the presidential candidate of the Liberal Party in the 2010 elections.
Lozano told The STAR said he would declare his presidential candidacy once Aquino decides to join the race.
“I want to engage Sen. Aquino in a presidential debate on the legacies left behind by the late Presidents (Ferdinand) Marcos and Cory Aquino,” he said.
Lozano said he will run under the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL), the party founded by Marcos and he will use the campaign period to expose the truth behind the so-called martial law regime and the revolutionary government during the term of President Aquino.
Panlilio leads supporters of Aquino
Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio said he is also willing to withdraw from the 2010 presidential race and give way to Aquino.
Panlilio said this is a personal decision and also in consultation with groups supporting him in his presidential bid.
“This is the direction we’re taking,” said Panlilio, a priest on leave.
He said he and his camp would issue a formal statement tomorrow at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City.
Kaya Natin Movement co-convenor Harvey Keh said Panlilio, Isabela Governor Padaca, and Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo would all attend the event.
Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, CBCP president, said a time for reflection by the senator would help clear his head before deciding on whether to accept Sen. Mar Roxas’ offer for him to be the LP standard-bearer.
“It is good that Noynoy go on retreat before he decides whether to run or not for president. He is asking God for light. I will pray for him. Noynoy is not pushing himself too soon. He wants to weigh the pro and cons,” Lagdameo said in an interview with Church-run Radio Veritas. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Christina Mendez, Jose Rodel Clapano, Perseus Echeminada, Evelyn Macairan
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