‘Estrada not funding opposition bets’

LOPEZ, Quezon – Deposed President Joseph Estrada is not funding the opposition ticket for senator, former Executive Secretary Edgardo Angara said yesterday.

Angara, who heads the Senate ticket of the opposition coalition Puwersa ng Masa, said that contrary to the allegations of the administration, Estrada has not contributed anything to the coffers of the opposition.

"They should make up their minds. First, they froze all assets of Erap. Now, they are saying that we are getting our funds from him," he complained.

Angara admitted, however, that the opposition is having difficulty getting funding support from businessmen.

"Generally, ang mga businessmen, ayaw tumaya sa oposisyon (Generally, businessmen do not want to bet on the opposition)," he said.

He stressed, nevertheless, that they have been receiving strong support from small and medium-sized businessmen.

At the same time, he reiterated his earlier proposal for a state subsidy to political parties.

"The state subsidy will help strengthen political parties and minimize campaign spending," he explained.

He said that when Fidel Ramos was president, Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino was almost wiped out.

"It is only because of the perseverance and determination of a few that LDP survived," said Angara, LDP president.

He added during the incumbency of Estrada, it was the turn of Ramos’ party, Lakas, to be almost wiped out.

"Kung hindi dahil sa EDSA II, baka hindi na nakabangon ang Lakas (If not for EDSA II, Lakas might not have recovered)," he said.

He pointed out that even industrialized countries like Japan and the United States are providing state subsidies to political parties. He also cited Malaysia as one of the developing countries with a similar subsidy.

In another development, Angara lashed yesterday at former Sen. Ernesto Maceda for sowing dissension in the opposition by claiming that the Nationalist People’s Coalition is junking five senatorial candidates of the Puwersa ng Masa, the coalition of opposition parties and independents.

"Maceda should stop talking like that. He is not authorized to speak for the NPC," said Angara, lead candidate of the coalition.

He said that Maceda is neither the chairman nor the president of NPC and could not possibly speak for that party.

Maceda said after a PM rally in Occidental Mindoro that the NPC is junking candidates Orlando Mercado, Jamby Madrigal, Dr. Ombra Tamano, Santanina Rasul and Reuben Canoy. He gave the statement to the media shortly after talking on stage at a rally for PM senatorial candidates.

Angara said he would talk with industrialist Eduardo Cojuangco, founding head of NPC, for a clarification on NPC’s alleged junking of the candidacy of the five senatorial aspirants.

Angara expressed the hope that Maceda would not share the same stage with opposition candidates for senator in their next rallies.

Angara and Maceda had a stormy relationship although both belong to the same opposition group. Maceda was the leader of a Senate coup against Angara.

Mercado, the defense secretary of deposed President Joseph Estrada, said he would not spend sleepless nights over the declaration of Maceda. He added that while politics is addition and the endorsements of other persons would be most welcome, the endorsement of Maceda is not one that he would be pursuing ardently.

He added that Maceda could not possibly junk him because he is not a member of Maceda’s party.

"In the final analysis, people will be the one to decide on our own qualifications. We have to run on our own record," Mercado stressed.

Madrigal, former presidential adviser on children’s affairs, refused to comment on the junking of her candidacy by Maceda. She, however, echoed Angara’s comment questioning Maceda’s authority to speak for the NPC.

Madrigal, a member of an old rich family, also said that she is not bothered at all by comments by many members of the PM slate virtually fomenting a class war between the rich and the poor. The more rabid Estrada supporters in the opposition coalition have been lashing at the rich for spearheading the civilian uprising that led to the downfall of the Estrada administration.

"I come from a rich family, but I am for empowering the poor," Madrigal stressed.

Angara, Mercado and Madrigal were joined by fellow candidates Dr. Luisa Ejercito, re-electionist Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Miriam Defensor Santiago, and Tamano in addressing a big crowd during a rally here that kicked off their campaign in Southern Tagalog.

Enrile said he was buoyed by the big attendance in this town. He said that this belied the claims of administration drumbeats that Quezon would go 13-0 for the People Power Coalition.