Peping working for UNA, says Tiangco

Manila, Philippines -  Former Tarlac Rep. Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, the uncle of President Aquino, is working for the “opposition” United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of Vice President Jejomar Binay and former President Joseph Estrada.

“He is with us. He is part of our secretariat as representative of PDP-Laban,” Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco, UNA secretary-general, said.

Cojuangco is a brother of Aquino’s late mother, former President Corazon Aquino.

Another presidential uncle, billionaire businessman and San Miguel Corp. chairman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., is titular head of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), which is forming an alliance with the ruling Liberal Party (LP) led by Aquino.

Tiangco said other members of the UNA secretariat include former Nueva Ecija Rep. Simeon Garcia, who is Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s chief of staff; Nancy Binay, a daughter of the vice president, and lawyer JV Bautista, UNA spokesman.

“Former Rep. Ompong (Rodolfo) Plaza (of Agusan del Sur), who is a member of NPC, is also with us in the secretariat,” he said.

Tiangco said his group has been meeting with prospective UNA senatorial candidates in preparation for the campaign for the May 2013 elections.

Tiangco and Estrada have accused the ruling LP of “pirating” many of its potential senatorial candidates, including Senators Francis Escudero, Loren Legarda, Alan Peter Cayetano, and Antonio Trillanes IV.

There are reports that Legarda is still undecided on whether to run under the Binay-Estrada group or the Aquino-LP side, but Escudero, Cayetano and Trillanes would be with the administration coalition.

Another senator, Aquilino Pimentel III, would most likely land a slot in the LP-led administration alliance. Pimentel, PDP-Laban president, has junked UNA after failing to convince its leadership to get rid of former Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri in its senatorial ticket.

Aside from Zubiri, UNA senatorial candidates include Sen. Gregorio Honasan, Estrada’s son San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor Ejercito, and Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay.

Tiangco said despite the supposed LP raid on its ranks, UNA could still field a complete 12-member senatorial ticket in next year’s elections.

He said other potential candidates include Nancy Binay and former senators Ernesto Maceda and Francisco Tatad.

The LP has rejected UNA’s overtures for a “super coalition” and the fielding of a common senatorial slate.