Noli willing to reconcile with Loren

Vice President-elect Noli de Castro is willing to reconcile with his closest opponent, Senate colleague Loren Legarda, whom he defeated by nearly 900,000 votes.

"Of course, okay sa akin ‘yan," he told journalists yesterday when asked if he was willing to talk things over with his most bitter rival and former friend.

He said common friends are now trying to bring them together so they can bury the hatchet and revive their friendship that began years ago when they were both talents of the giant ABS-CBN television network.

The incoming vice president still has his "Magandang Gabi Bayan" program in the network, which is controlled by the Lopez family.

During the election campaign, among all candidates vying for the presidency and the vice presidency, De Castro and Legarda waged the bitterest word war. They exchanged charges and counter-charges that had to do with corruption and land grabbing. Even De Castro’s past marital troubles were raked up.

The two camps spent tens of millions of pesos in newspaper advertisements containing such charges and counter-charges, as well as denials.

De Castro admitted that he and his family were hurt by the accusations leveled against him but that he would rather forget about them now.

"Masakit ang dinaanan ko pero ayoko nang isipin ang nangyari noong nakaraang halalan. If I do that, wala tayong mararating," he said in usual mixed English and Filipino.

He said he was willing to talk not only to Legarda but his other opponents as well.

When asked if he would go through the same bruising election again, De Castro said in jest, "For vice president? Di na ako puwede."— Jess Diaz, Pia Lee-Brago