NPC open to coalition but only with Senate slate

MANILA, Philippines - The Nationalist People’s Coalition is ready to ally with other political parties only on the senatorial lineup but not the vice president and president bets, NPC spokesman Rex Gatchalian yesterday said.

Gatchalian was reacting over a weekend report that quoted Nacionalista Party (NP) spokesmen Gilbert Remulla and Adel Tamano as saying that Sen. Francis Escudero of NPC would be a good vice president to NP standard-bearer Sen. Manny Villar.

Gatchalian said they already have a dynamite tandem in either Senators Escudero or Loren Legarda.

“As far as NPC is concerned, we have a strong tandem for the presidential and vice presidential race and that is a done deal. The NPC, however, is open for coalition with other political parties when it comes to the senatorial lineup,” Gatchalian stressed.

The neophyte congressman, who represents Valenzuela, insisted that the NPC has already taken a position that it will field its own presidential and vice presidential candidates from its two leading contenders - Escudero and Legarda.

Legarda, who lost as vice presidential candidate in May 2004 to Noli de Castro, topped the May 2007 senatorial race, while Escudero – a former three-term congressman from Sorsogon – placed second. Escudero had misgivings but didn’t bother to contest it though.

Gatchalian was amused that Remulla and Tamano – who earlier questioned Escudero’s track record as a congressman for nine years in his district of “impoverished” Sorsogon – was now claiming that the Bicolano lawmaker, who is very popular among the youth, was qualified.

Tamano said he was only “misquoted” by reporters, but in truth he was not.

Tamano and Remulla are among the eight candidates in the NP senatorial lineup. Remulla, a former Cavite congressman, sought reelection in 2007 but lost to Elpidio Barzaga.

Gatchalian took potshots at Remulla saying he was unfit to run.

“I don’t think a party spokesman who says something one week ago and says a different thing one week later is even fit to run for any public office since it is a manifestation of lack of sincerity,” Gatchalian said.