Lopez, Bagatsing vie for PPC Manila mayor’s slot

The fight’s not over yet for the official candidate of the administration party in the Manila mayoralty election.

Former Manila Mayor Mel Lopez is still slugging it out for the nomination of the People’s Power Coalition (PPC) as its standard bearer in Manila refuting announcements by former Rep. Amado Bagatsing that he has been picked as the official candidate.

"Definitely, the party will make an announcement this week and it will have as its criteria loyalty, integrity, winnability and character," said Lopez, who had serve as Manila’s mayor before losing to his successor Alfredo Lim.

But in a press statement, Bagatsing’s camp claimed that PPC has affirmed its support for his candidacy. The statement quoted Finance Secretary and PPC chair Alberto Romulo as saying that Bagatsing’s selection as the party’s standard bearer in Manila was "an acknowledgment of his contribution to the success of EDSA II that ousted former President Joseph Estrada, aside from his credentials as a three-term congressman." PPC is composed of Lakas-NUCD, Reporma, Promdi, Liberal Party, KAMPI and Aksyon Demokratiko.

"Bagatsing was one of first ones who went to EDSA in support of the United Opposition’s call for the resignation of Estrada who was then facing impeachment trial at the Senate, the statement said.

In an interview with The STAR, Lopez said he is confident that he would be picked over Bagatsing citing party loyalty as his edge.

"I have always been loyal to the party. I am not an outsider. Bagatsing is not even a member of the party," said Lopez. The Lopezes of Manila have always campaigned under the Lakas-NUCD party, one of the members of the broad coalition of former oppositionists and is the part of President Arroyo. – Jose Aravilla