‘Opposition has no bet for 2004 yet’

DAGUPAN CITY — Sen. Teresa Aquino-Oreta said the disunity of the opposition in its endorsement of Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s presidential bid is merely a media concoction.

"I believe the media just put that version (that the opposition is not united)," Oreta said. "Of course, they want to heat up the situation."

She said the opposition has not chosen its standard-bearer yet. "Lacson declared he wants to (run for president) and of course some of the LDP (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino party) members said ‘why not,’ but the party has not convened yet."

She also said the opposition coalition has not yet endorsed a standard-bearer because its other choices include Sens. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Vicente Sotto III, business tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. and actor Fernando Poe Jr.

Neither Cojuangco nor Poe has declared any intention of seeking the helm of government in the 2004 national elections.

Oreta said those who endorsed Lacson as the opposition’s possible presidential bet "were all very clear in saying until and when we support Lacson."

"And, for all you know, Senator Lacson might just give in to whoever (will be selected as the opposition standard-bearer), but definitely, there will be only one (opposition) candidate," she added.

Oreta said the opposition’s presidential bet will be known sometime in July or August. "December might just be too late."

The senator from Tarlac said she will support whoever is selected as the opposition’s presidential bet because "we want success and we just have to subdue ourselves for the unity of the opposition."

The most important quality for the opposition’s standard-bearer is leadership, she said, "unlike what’s happening now."

It was reported earlier that a faction of the opposition held a convention at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan town where they backed Lacson’s bid for the presidency.

Among the opposition leaders present at the convention were Sen. John Osmeña, LDP secretary general and former senator Juan Ponce Enrile, Makati City Rep. Agapito "Butz" Aquino, Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla and Angelito Banayo of the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), ousted President Joseph Estrada’s political party.

They backed Lacson, who served as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) until the ouster of Estrada, for his "track record."

They also said Lacson has the qualities needed to implement the opposition’s platform of government reform.

However, LDP president Sen. Edgardo Angara said the mainstream opposition party has not yet chosen Lacson as their official standard-bearer.

"Although Senator Lacson was endorsed by several opposition leaders, he is not yet the official opposition candidate," Angara said. "The opposition cannot endorse a candidate yet until November or December."

On the other hand, Lacson said he may ask administration Sen. Loren Legarda to be his running mate.

In an unexpected disclosure in Cebu Saturday, Lacson said the LDP has been conducting talks with Legarda for a possible presidential tandem, though no agreement has been made.

Lacson said he will meet with Legarda personally to discuss the proposal that she be his running mate.

Meanwhile, former narcotics agent Mary Ong challenged Lacson to reveal the personalities behind his multimillion peso television advertisements.

In an interview, Ong did not discount the possibility that the "infomercial" on Lacson was funded by several Chinese drug traffickers operating in the country.

"The ads are Lacson’s publicity gimmicks. By now, tens of millions must have been spent to mislead the Filipino people," she said in a statement.

Ong accused Lacson of using money from the illicit drug trade to fund his presidential bid in 2004 – With Christina Mendez and Freeman News Service