MANILA, Philippines - Nacionalista Party chairman Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. said his party is ready to forge an alliance with another political party just to have a credible vice presidential candidate in next year’s elections, leading to speculations that he could be courting Sen. Loren Legarda as his potential running mate.
“It’s not necessary to have a member of NP as running mate. Of course this is just an alliance of parties that have common interest, common objectives. We do not limit to the party who’s going to be the running mate,” he said.
Villar said he has “zeroed in” on a shortlist of candidates and what is most important is that his would-be running mate should have similar principles and platforms.
Legarda, of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), officially declared her vice presidential bid last Friday but downplayed reports that she is negotiating with the administration’s Lakas-Kampi or the Villar-led NP.
She, however, hinted that she will leave it to the NPC to decide on who would be her running mate for as long as they have similar platforms.
Villar said the NP will have a national convention by mid-November or half-way towards the Nov. 30 deadline set by the Commission on Elections for the filing of certificates of candidacy.
The NP has also drafted members of its senatorial slate, including NP spokesman lawyer Adel Tamano, re-electionists Sen. Pia Cayetano, Sen. Miriam Defensor- Santiago and possibly former Rep. Gilbert Remulla.
A toss up between Noli and Loren
Villar said the NP is choosing among the best possible candidates for the VP post but has not decided yet.
“There are many who have good backgrounds. Others are even candidates for the presidency,” the senator said.
He said he cannot rule out Vice President Noli de Castro as candidate for the vice presidency but he would respect the latter’s decision if he decides to return to his career as a broadcaster.
He said he plans to talk to De Castro soon to once and for all determine his political plans.
“But I would respect whatever decision he makes,” the senator said.
De Castro and Legarda were at loggerheads in the 2004 elections when they fought for the vice presidency. De Castro won but Legarda filed an electoral protest.
She later dropped the protest when she ran for senator in 2007 and won under the Genuine Opposition banner.
“I have to admit, my kumpadre Noli and I haven’t talked yet. As I see it, it seems he wants to return to his private life. But one way or the other, we have to talk. It is important that I also know what’s deep within him,” Villar said.
He, however, declined to comment on the delayed announcement of Sen. Francis Escudero, who is being perceived as Legarda’s NPC running mate.
Villar believes Legarda deserves to run for vice president because of her platform of government, which is focused on environment protection and climate change.
He boasted that he too has planted more than one million trees since he was a child, insinuating that it’s not only Legarda who is in the business of planting trees.
“I don’t claim to be an environmentalist. But I am also involved in environment in my own way. I also admire people who are in the business of taking care of the environment,” the former Senate president said.
Setting aside differences
Asked if he can work with Legarda despite her support for the move to file ethics charges against him over the C5 Road controversy, Villar said he is ready to set aside any personal differences.
He said he does not see the C5 Road issue as an obstruction to a possible team-up in case they reach an agreement.
“I don’t see any hindrance, because the one who asked for the investigation was another person,” Villar said.