‘United opposition to pick Lacson’

DAVAO CITY — Sen. Panfilo Lacson will be declared the standard-bearer of the united opposition in next year’s presidential elections, Lacson’s spokesman Rufus Rodriguez said here yesterday.

Rodriguez claimed that after a careful evaluation and analysis of recent political events, Lacson emerged as the most qualified candidate of the opposition and he will be formally declared the official opposition candidate by month’s end.

He said Lacson has become the natural choice of the opposition following his accusations of money laundering against First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.

"Even with the exposes... from both sides... now coming out, the elections would definitely push through. There will be elections next year and Senator Lacson would be the official presidential candidate of the united opposition," Rodriguez declared.

The former Estrada administration immigration commissioner pointed out that the exposes on the so-called Jose Pidal account have worked in Lacson’s favor.

Rodriguez claimed Lacson is now being heavily favored by the mainstream opposition Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) and its allies, including the political party of deposed President Joseph Estrada, the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) and civil society groups like Peaceful Progress Movement.

Rodriguez said representatives of the various opposition parties have already met to map out the selection process. Among the convenors were former senators Francisco Tatad and Juan Ponce Enrile.

"We have already formed the preparatory committee for the unification of the opposition. We have decided to fasttrack the selection of the common candidate before the end of the month," Rodriguez said.

He said initial talks have already been made to the other presidential hopefuls in the opposition which include businessman Eduardo Cojuangco, actor Fernando Poe Jr., Sen. Edgardo Angara and even Estrada.

"Before Sept. 30, all these people in the opposition would be able to sit down and discuss the matter as soon as possible," Rodriguez said.

Supporters of Lacson in the LDP, including Makati City Rep. Agapito Aquino, earlier endorsed the opposition senator as their candidate.

Lacson’s supporters, however, made it clear that their proclamation of him last April did not prevent the entry of other opposition presidential aspirants in the race.

House Minority Leader Carlos Padilla (LDP, Nueva Vizcaya) clarified the opposition did not officially endorse Lacson. He said the endorsement was only made as "an informal proclamation."

Angara, LDP president, also emphasized earlier that the party did not officially endorse Lacson.

Padilla stressed the LDP would still support the bid of any opposition member for the presidency, but it so happened that Lacson was the only one so far to have declared himself as a candidate from the opposition.

He said Lacson so far is the only aspirant capable of "getting the support and commitment, including financially, from various sectors."

Padilla had claimed Lacson enjoys the support of the majority of LDP congressmen.

But Angara sounded out his preference to Cojuangco as "unity candidate."

Angara earlier warned against endorsing any presidential candidate at this time, pointing out that it might be seen as a violation of the Election Code, where official political endorsements should only be made in November, or six months before the elections.

Although Lacson is a member of LDP, Angara, for his part, said "there has been no discussion within the party of his presidential candidacy."

As for the presence of LDP congressmen in the group that endorsed Lacson, Angara said they made the endorsement in their personal capacities.

Some LDP congressmen are reportedly ready to quit their party if it chooses a presidential candidate other than Lacson.

Angara was a presidential aspirant until some months ago when he gave up his quest for the top post.

The ruling Lakas party is also talking to Cojuangco, who lost to Fidel Ramos in the election for president in 1992.

Estrada is still hoping that Poe, his close friend, would also join the presidential race but the actor has reportedly expressed he is not interested in the presidency.