UNA aims to become dominant party in 2013

MANILA, Philippines - The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of Vice President Jejomar Binay and former President Joseph Estrada will be aiming to become the dominant majority party in the May 2013 mid-term polls, Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco said yesterday.

Tiangco, UNA secretary general, made this claim during the hearing of the First Division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on the party’s petition for accreditation.

UNA spokesman JV Bautista echoed Tiangco’s pronouncement, saying that in case UNA will not be accredited as dominant majority they will settle for the dominant minority status.

“Either that (dominant majority) or dominant minority … But probably nothing less than that,” he said.

The Comelec scrutinizes a party’s history, track record and number of incumbent elected officials who are its members in determining which party would be the dominant majority or minority.

Under Republic Act 9369 or the Poll Automation Law, the dominant majority and minority parties are respectively given the fifth and sixth copies of the election returns.

Aside from this, such parties will also have their own data servers on election day, while their watchers will be given priority in polling precincts.

Bautista said they are confident that UNA’s petition for accreditation as a coalition will be granted by the Comelec.

“There appears to be no opposition on record and per the testimony of our secretary general Congressman Toby Tiangco, all the requirements for the accreditation for political alliance have been duly complied with. So we do not foresee any reason why the petition of UNA will not be positively acted upon by the commission,” he said.

Tiangco added their chance of becoming dominant majority status would be boosted by the interest shown by many politicians who want to ally with them.

“I will admit our membership is not that big but with those who want to join us, we will see. We just might have the numbers for dominant majority,” he said.

As for their senatorial line-up, Tiangco has identified the five who have been officially considered. They are San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito, Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile, Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Sen. Gregorio Honasan, and businessman Jose “Joey” de Venecia III.

The party is currently in talks with former senators Ernesto Maceda, Richard Gordon and Juan Miguel Zubiri; Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay; Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia and Senators Loren Legarda and Francis “Chiz” Escudero.