LP 'rushing' to complete 2013 senatorial slate

MANILA -- The ruling Liberal Party (LP) is meeting thrice a week to "rush up things" and finalize its line-up for the 2013 midterm elections, a lawmaker allied with the Aquino administration said Monday.

"LP's meetings have been delayed for two to three weeks already. It (LP slate) is not yet final although we try to rush up things," House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said.

Newly-appointed Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, also the LP's secretary general, said the administration party is yet to decide who among the 15 to 16 candidates will get the 12 slots.

On Monday, LP leaders met with the Senator Manny Villar's Nacionalista Party (NP), one of the political parties it will coalesce with. The other is the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) of businessman Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr.

Abaya, the district representative of Cavite until he assumes his DOTC post, said that three of LP's senatorial candidates will come from NP, namely senators Antonio Trillanes IV, Alan Peter Cayetano, and former Las Piñas City Representative Cynthia Villar.

Abaya earlier said talks with the NPC are "99 percent done."

NPC has reelectionist Senators Loren Legarda, Gregorio Honasan, and Francis Escudero, and Cagayan Representative Juan Ponce Enrile Jr. as its candidates.

Reports, however, indicate that they are likely to join the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of former President Joseph Estrada and Vice President Jejomar Binay.

In case the NPC contenders will run as official candidates of LP but will also be adopted by UNA, they will be prohibited to join the other candidates of UNA in rallies during the campaign period.

In Vladivostok, Russia, where President Aquino attended the 20th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Meeting, he named LP's six senatorial bets. The list includes Movies and Television Ratings and Classification Board chair Grace Poe-Llamanzares, former Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr., former Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros; Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, and Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara.

Aquino said a slot has also been reserved for the Biazons although the latter has yet to decided who between Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon and Muntinlupa City Representative Rodolfo Biazon, also a former senator, will run in the 2013 elections.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile meanwhile said that Escudero and Poe-Llamanzares will likely run under UNA.

The filing of certificates of candidacy is scheduled on October 1 to 5. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)