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Thursday, December 04, 2003
3 opposition parties sign declaration of unity
By Miko Santos
OPPOSITION leaders belonging to the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP)-Laban and Pwersa ng Masa (PMP) signed Wednesday a manifesto launching the United Opposition.
Calling the new opposition alliance as "Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (Coalition of United Filipinos)," LDP president, Sen. Edgardo Angara; Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) president Horacio Morales; and PDP-Laban representative
Buddy Pangilinan signed the "Declaration of Unity," which would work for a government "that will heal the deep wounds that have stalled our country's growth."
Angara said the signing was a "first step" by the political opposition towards their "march to unity" in next year's elections.
He said the "second step" would be the choice of a presidential standard-bearer through a selection process.
Angara said the opposition bloc would present its complete slate on or before Dec. 15.
Angara has been given blanket authority by the LDP regional councils to enter into a coalition agreement with other political parties and to name the party's
standard-bearer.
Angara pursued the alliance with the three other opposition parties amid the dissatisfaction expressed by some of his party mates over his leadership.
Makati Rep. Agapito Aquino, an LDP stalwart, said in an ABS-CBN News Channel interview Wednesday that he was not invited to the activity as he described the people involved in the formation of the coalition as those working for the presidential bid of movie actor Fernando Poe Jr.
Aquino is pushing for Sen. Panfilo Lacson as the opposition's presidential bet.
Meanwhile, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, PDP-Laban president, said the door is open for the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) of former ambassador Eduardo 'Danding' Cojuangco to join.
The new coalition will start the selection process for its candidates in next year's elections after the scheduled meeting of Lacson and Poe.
A five-man convener group has urged direct talks between Poe and Lacson to determine who between them would be the opposition's candidate for president. An agreement between the two would render academic any selection process.
The two, however, appear far from reaching an agreement. The proposed meeting Wednesday between Lacson and Poe did not push through because Poe is still sick.
(December 4, 2003 issue)
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