MANILA, Philippines - “A number” of Nacionalista Party (NP) members are rooting for Makati Mayor Jejomar “Jojo” Binay as the running mate of presidential aspirant Sen. Manuel Villar in the May 2010 national elections, the party’s spokesperson said.
“Seriously, some of our members like Jojo. I think he will make a good vice president,” said lawyer Adel Tamano.
“I’m encouraging him (Binay). Personally, I will go for Jojo,” he added.
He clarified, however, that the party has not yet decided to make Binay as Villar’s vice presidential candidate.
“The party itself has no decision yet. There is no selection yet. It’s still very early. We are concentrated, right now, in helping the victims of typhoon “Ondoy.” The selection of vice presidential candidate for 2010 is still in the back burner,” he said.
Tamano said the NP is also considering Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Jinggoy Estrada to be the party’s vice presidential candidate.
“Personally, I like him (Binay). Also Chiz, but no decision yet from the NP. There are some members of NP who think Binay will be a good running mate for Villar because he overcame poverty and he has managerial experience,” Tamano said.
Binay earlier announced his intention to run for president, but backed out of the race to support the presidential bid of Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
He was a close friend of Noynoy’s mother, former President Corazon Aquino, who died on Aug. 1 after a year of battling colon cancer.
Despite the hype over Noynoy’s announcement of his candidacy a month after his mother’s death, causing many presidential hopefuls to back out of the competition, Villar still placed second in the non-commissioned survey on presidential aspirants done by Makati-based polling firm StratPOLL from Sept. 17 to 24.
StratPOLL is the sister company of radio stations dwIZ and Home Radio, Business Mirror newspaper and Philippine Graphic magazine.
Villar got an approval rating of 20 percent while Noynoy, who topped the survey, had a 36 percent approval rating.
Escudero and former President Joseph Estrada were “statistically tied” for third and fourth places with an approval rating of 11 percent each.
Philippine Graphic editor-in-chief Inday Espina-Varona said Villar must get a “viable” running mate who has charisma and a good track record if he wants to improve his ranking in the surveys.
Meanwhile, Binay is elated over the show of trust of some members of the NP.
“I am honored that opposition political parties have included me in the list of running mates for their presidential bets,” he said. – With Jose Rodel Clapano