|
By Efren L. Danao, Senior
Reporter
Senate President Manuel Villar
Jr. said Wednesday that the Nacionalista Party (NP), which he heads,
is prepared for a possible alliance with Lakas.
Former President Fidel Ramos, the
chairman emeritus of Lakas, earlier called for a joining of forces
with Nacionalista and other political parties to expand the Lakas
choice of presidential candidate for the 2010 elections.
Chairman Bayani Fernando of the
Metro Manila Development Authority is the only Lakas officer who has
declared his availability as a candidate for President. Mayor
Feliciano Belmonte of Quezon City is also being mentioned. Some
Lakas leaders want Vice President Noli de Castro, but he is not a
party member.
“A coalition with Lakas is very
possible,” Villar told The Manila Times.
He said the Nacionalista Party is
also open to an alliance with other political parties. According to
him, the party is leaning toward a coalition with opposition
parties, but an alliance with Lakas could take place if his
party’s independence is recognized.
Villar, a former Speaker of the
House of Representatives, has maintained strong ties with former and
incumbent congressmen from Lakas. He has consistently rated high in
surveys for people’s choice for president.
He, however, doubted if the
Nacionalista Party could coalesce with other political parties, such
as the Liberal Party, that have already determined their
standard-bearer in the next elections. Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas
2nd, the Liberal Party president, is expected to be the party
candidate for president in 2010.
Villar said he is not bothered by
the possibility that he might have Vice President de Castro as rival
in the race to Malacañang. The two, along with Senators Joker
Arroyo and Francis Pangilinan, and former Sen. Ralph Recto are
members of the close-knit Wednesday Group.
“If that [rivalry] is
inevitable, so be it,” Villar said, shrugging his shoulders. He
added that running against de Castro would not affect their
friendship.
Villar added that unlike other
political parties, the Nacionalista Party had been silently
strengthening its ranks in preparation for the 2010 electoral
contest.
“We can expand nationwide if we
want to, but we are concentrating only on certain areas with strong
NP presence,” he said.
Villar explained that organizing
Nacionalista Party chapters all over the country would complicate
future efforts to coalesce with other political parties.
“Overlapping of organizations
and ambitions would derail a coalition. Look at Lakas and Kampi.
They are having difficulties because of overlapping,” he said.
Kampi is the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino, which was founded by
President Gloria Arroyo. Kampi is coalesced with Lakas, and the two
are working out a merger ahead of the 2010 elections.
Villar refused to state
categorically that he would be running for president in 2010.
“It is too early [to say]. I
believe in timing,” he said.
But, Villar said, he might be old
and no longer have the same popular standing among the people in
2016, the next presidential elections after 2010. He is now on his
second and last term as senator, which expires in 2013.
Villar would not say who could
possibly be his running mate should he run for president.
“That [selection of his
candidate for vice president] will be the result of negotiations,”
he said.
|
