Daza, 3 senators in LAMP Senate slate

A defense lawyer in President Estrada’s impeachment trial, three incumbent senators and several Cabinet secretaries are included in the short list of the senatorial line-up of the ruling coalition Lapian ng Masang Pilipino (LAMP) for next May’s elections.

The list was endorsed by pro-administration local executives, presidential adviser for political affairs Lito Banayo told The STAR yesterday.

Former Congressman Raul Daza, who forms part of the powerhouse defense team of Mr. Estrada in his impeachment trial, made it to the list along with Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Gregorio Honasan.

Banayo said he and seven other Cabinet members were also nominated by the mayors to run for the Senate.

The others are Press Secretary Ricardo Puno, Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado, Interior Secretary Alfredo Lim, Flagship Projects Secretary Roberto Aventajado, Agrarian Reform Secretary Horacio Morales, Tourism Secretary Gemma Cruz-Araneta and Agriculture Secretary Edgardo Angara.

Banayo said he has been trying to convince popular TV talk show host and news anchor Noli de Castro of ABS-CBN and former actress and current IBC-13 board chairman Boots Anson-Roa to run in the administration slate.

Also nominated were Ambassador to Washington Ernesto Maceda, former Pangasinan Gov. Oscar Orbos, Rep. Lualhati Antonio, Gov. Wahid Mutilan, and Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn.

Banayo said San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada, the President’s son, has opted not to run for either senator or congressman.

Banayo said LAMP will hold its party convention to select its final 12-member ticket shortly before the Feb. 14 deadline of the filing of certificates of candidacy.

Before that selection period, Banayo said he expects the list to be trimmed down further because nominees like Angara, Mercado and Maceda have already publicly declared that they are not inclined to run again for the Senate.

Angara is likely to replace outgoing Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora, who is seeking his old congressional seat in San Juan.

Maceda is said to be more interested in a Cabinet position where more vacancies are expected next month as secretaries resign to run for elective posts.

As far as local elections are concerned, Banayo said, LAMP has already selected most of its candidates.

But Banayo admitted that the administration ticket was severely depleted following the mass defections triggered by the jueteng bribery scandal that has rocked the Estrada presidency.

He also took exception to the perception that those candidates endorsed by Mr. Estrada were likely to lose because of the current impeachment trial that has hobbled the government and, to a certain extent, the economy. – Marichu Villanueva