Bro. Eddie rejects coalition with Roco

Presidential aspirant Raul Roco kept the door open yesterday for rival candidates President Arroyo and actor Fernando Poe Jr. to join a "coalition government" that he plans to put up to curb corruption and incompetence in the government.

Asked how Mrs. Arroyo and Poe will fit in the unified government, Roco said: "If the shoe fits, let her walk away with it… It’s just like Cinderella, whoever fits in the shoes, it’s hers."

Earlier, Roco revealed that his technical people were talking with their counterparts in the camps of Sen. Panfilo Lacson and evangelist Eddie Villanueva about the possible creation of a coalition government to combat corruption and incompetence.

Roco said that the concept of a coalition government doesn’t involve his sliding down to the vice presidency or the merger of his Alyansya ng Pag-asa with the parties of Lacson and Villanueva.

"There will be no slide down. We have the advantage. Our group is bigger and we have greater capacity for organization," he said.

Lacson reportedly denied such talk about a coalition government. He described it as "far-fetched" because neither he nor Roco would give way.

"If you are a candidate and you are being told you must slide down, it’s easy to deny it. He seems to be under the impression that there must be a slide down," Roco said of Lacson’s denial.

He stood by his statement that talks took place between his party and those of Lacson and Villanueva.

"There are talks. There will be something that’ll come out but let’s leave them alone at the moment," Roco said.