Roco, Bro. Eddie to explore alliance

Presidential candidates Raul Roco and Eduardo Villanueva will likely meet personally to iron out kinks in the possible merger of their political parties Alyansa ng Pag-asa and Bangon Pilipinas, respectively.

Alyansa campaign manager Dr. Jaime Galvez-Tan said that unlike the frequently canceled meetings between movie actor Fernando Poe Jr. and Sen. Panfilo Lacson, the Roco-Villanueva meeting will most probably push through when Roco returns this week from a two-week medical treatment in Houston, Texas.

"The communication lines between the Alyansa and Bangon are open. We are talking everyday, a show of goodwill. Unlike Poe and Lacson, we are not avoiding each other," he said.

Unification talks between the Alyansa and Bangon are ongoing, with the objective of putting up a united front against the giant machinery of President Arroyo and Poe’s popularity.

But the merger talks remain open-ended unless Roco makes it known whether or not he is fit to pursue his presidential bid when he comes back tomorrow.

Neither Roco nor Villanueva wants to give way so far, dismissing the possibility of Alyansa and Bangon having a common presidential candidate. The two parties have only agreed to share poll watchers and tally sheets during the elections.

This developed as Galvez-Tan maintained that the Alyansa is not affected by Roco’s ratings skid in election surveys.

Galvez-Tan added that while the Alyansa expects Roco to recover lost ground when he returns, they also intend to go after the "undecided" voters to boost his candidacy.

A recent survey by the Social Weather Stations showed that Roco lost half of his votes from the previous survey when he left for Texas last April 13 for medical treatment.

Roco slid down a notch to fourth place with 8.4 percent while Mrs. Arroyo topped the survey with 35.3 percent, followed by Poe with 30.8 percent.

The survey further showed that Lacson landed in third place with 10.6 percent while Villanueva ranked fifth with four percent, Eddie Gil with 0.05 percent and 10.9 percent undecided.

Galvez-Tan said they expect a significant turnaround for Roco the moment he returns because it will ease the uncertainty that some people might feel about his condition.

"When he arrives and with just a matter of two weeks (left in the campaign by then), everything will depend on how you will capture the undecided, the uncommitted. It can still be a turnaround as most statisticians would agree," he added.

Grand homecoming

The Alyansa is also preparing to make a show of force tomorrow when Roco flies in from Houston.

Jose Cabochan, chairman of Alyansa’s joint secretariat, said a huge welcome party awaits Roco tomorrow.

"That’s how we want it to be. Our supporters kept on asking how they could participate in (welcoming Roco) tomorrow. We are preparing several activities to show that Alyansa is (a force to reckon with)," he said.

Cabochan claimed the grand homecoming they will prepare for Roco will help restore public confidence in their candidate.

Alyansa initially plans to hold a motorcade and a thanksgiving Mass for Roco tomorrow.

Roco left for Texas April 13 supposedly to undergo medical tests for chronic lower back pain which had been bothering him since March 15.

Filipino physicians initially found Roco to be suffering from prostate cancer, an ailment common among males above 50 years old.

Alyansa official Ernesto Pangan said Roco is doing well and does not need to withdraw from the presidential race. He added that Roco intends to buckle down to work as soon as he arrives by holding a meeting with Alyansa candidates and leaders.

Pangan said after arriving from the airport, Roco is expected to hold a press conference to enlighten the public about his medical condition.

"Roco is doing fine. He wants to be the one to discuss the findings of the doctors there. He will be transparent about it," he said.