NPC rebuffs LDP: No decision on coalition yet

The Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), the second largest political party in the country, rebuffed yesterday the opposition Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) for claiming that the two parties have already agreed to coalesce for the May 2004 elections.

NPC chairman Faustino Dy was reacting to the statement of LDP Sen. Vicente Sotto, who said the other day the alliance was already "a done deal."

"Nothing’s final yet," Dy told The STAR. "We have been talking not only to them but other parties as well, also Lakas (Christian Muslim Democrats)."

"What we’re having are informal talks," he said.

Dy said he and NPC president Frisco San Juan were tasked by the party central committee last month to hold talks with various political parties in connection with the coming polls.

The talks are actually about whether the NPC would reaffirm its alliance with the ruling Lakas-CMD and other administration parties or forge a coalition with the opposition LDP.

Dy said his group will make recommendations this month to the NPC executive council, which in turn, will have the decision ratified by the party central committee.

Speaker Jose de Venecia also expressed confidence yesterday the NPC, which was founded by businessman and San Miguel Corp. head Eduardo Cojuangco as a vehicle for his presidential bid in 1992, will reaffirm its partnership with Lakas.

De Venecia said NPC’s decision to maintain its ties with Lakas was brought about by "political pragmatism."

"NPC will stay with Lakas which has a sure winner in the presidential elections," De Venecia said. "NPC will stick it out with the Sunshine Coalition."

Aside from Lakas and NPC, the Sunshine Coalition in the House of Representatives is composed of the Liberal Party, Nacionalista party, Reporma, Aksyon Demokratiko and Promdi.

NPC has about 64 congressmen and 22 governors in the vote-rich provinces of Pangasinan, Bicol and the Visayas.

Cojuangco has given himself until the middle of this month to decide whether to join the presidential derby.