Marcos party KBL eyes GSIS’ Garcia as VP bet in 2010

The Marcos-era Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) is looking to field the controversial head of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Winston Garcia, as its guest vice presidential candidate in the 2010 elections.

“KBL will reserve its vice presidential slot for Garcia if he intends to run in the 2010 elections. With the solid Visayas and Mindanao blocs and his crusade to reform Meralco (Manila Electric Co.), he is a sure winner,” KBL chairman Vicente Millora told The STAR.

But lawyer Estrella Elamparo, GSIS vice president for legal and corporate affairs, doubted that Garcia would seek an elective post in 2010.

“As far as I know, he (Garcia) doesn’t have political ambition, in a forum last Friday he said he is the most apolitical in their family,” Elamparo said.

Millora said Garcia could be an ideal candidate for vice-president because his advocacy to lower the price of electricity strikes the burning issue of the day.

“If Garcia will succeed in his campaign then he will have the strong support of millions of electric consumers in Meralco franchise areas,” he said.

Millora said the KBL, one of the oldest parties in the country dating back to the Marcos-regime “New Society,” will be fielding a complete presidential and senatorial slate.

“We are in the process of reactivating our regional party committees,” he said.

Apart from Garcia, Millora said the KBL is also considering Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro as its presidential candidate.

“A Teodoro-Garcia tandem would be a force to reckon with,” he said.