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Saturday, December 06, 2003
LDP junks Ping as opposition presidential bet
* Lacson meets Erap
SEN. Panfilo Lacson is no longer included in the United Opposition's selection process for its standard-bearer.
This was the decision of a majority of members of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), which was announced by LDP chairman, Sen. Edgardo Angara, Friday.
Angara said the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino will no longer consider Lacson as a contender in the selection process in which case, only actor Fernando Poe Jr. will remain in the list.
Angara said the group has made the decision after Lacson allegedly allow himself to be used by renegade members of the party to be endorsed as the standard-bearer.
Earlier, Angara called the nomination of Lacson as illegal and unauthorized because it was not the LDP's decision but that of selected members who only wanted to create another faction in the LDP.
"With this development, we have no other contender left except Mr. Poe. It will be automatically be adopted by the United Opposition and he will be proclaimed as the standard-bearer of the opposition,"
Angara said.
Angara added that the coalition is preparing the official proclamation of Poe as the "official" standard-bearer of the United Opposition under the new coalition of the LDP, Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP)-Laban and Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP)..
The senator said only the chairman of the party can endorse or nominate the official standard-bearer.
Former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, head of the selection committee, said it was Lacson who took himself out of the selection process.
"Senator Lacson and his splinter factor knew and accepted the selection rules, They should have respected these rules. Instead, they brazenly defied them," Enrile said.
Lacson can not be reached for any comment regarding the decision of the party.
Erap's endorsement
Lacson, meanwhile, seems to have secured the blessings and endorsement of former President Joseph Estrada.
The two have met two nights ago in Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, where Estrada is detained.
According to Lacson, Estrada has agreed to support his candidacy because he saw the senator's determination in running the country.
Lacson said during that meeting, they both clarified issues pertaining to his plan as well as discussed the candidacy of movie actor Fernando Poe Jr.
"President Erap clearly understood why I am so determined to run for the presidency. I told him that at this stage, especially after my supporters within and outside the LDP, proclaimed me as their presidential candidate, there is no more time turning back," Lacson said in a press statement.
Lacson also said Estrada was not informed by Poe about his final declaration.
"President Estrada told me that he has yet to see the same determination from Poe since he knew from the start that he is a reluctant candidate. He said he was not even personally informed of his friend's declaration last Nov. 26," Lacson added.
Because of this, Lacson said, Estrada believed that he is the best bet of the opposition in the 2004 elections.
However, Estrada told him to still meet with Poe and other LDP leaders to patch up things so that the opposition would have only one candidate. JPM
(December 6, 2003 issue)
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