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Thursday, November 27, 2003
FPJ declares presidential bid
* Lacson will still pursue presidential bid
* Lakas, Legarda welcome Poe's move; Palace not threatened by Poe's candidacy
* Business leaders still open to supporting FPJ
MANILA -- Actor Fernando Poe Jr., undisputed king of Philippine action movies, and a high school dropout with no political experience, ended speculations Wednesday as he announced his bid for the presidency in the May elections.
"I am sincere and dedicated and I love my country," said Poe, 64, in a statement, in answer to questions on what prompted him to join the political fight.
"There comes a time when a man faces the hardest decision of his life and this time has come to me now. Ako po si Fernando Poe Jr. na lalahok sa pagka-pangulo ng bansa (I, Fernando Poe Jr., will run for president)," Poe, who is more popularly known as FPJ and acknowledged as the King of Philippine Movies, said during a press conference at the Manila Hotel.
Poe's wife Susan Roces (Susan Sonora Poe) and Sen. Vicente Sotto III were with the actor when he arrived at the hotel.
"It's not an ambition. It's more of serving the people and dedicating my life for them. I am dedicated and I love my country," said Poe as he thanked his supporters who collected signatures from across the country in support of his presidential bid.
Poe said in due time he would present a platform of government and will introduce his "economic team".
Poe said he does not yet have a political party and he is willing to go through the selection process of the United Opposition. "But if they will adopt me, why not?" he added.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, in a separate interview, said Poe's announcement make him more determined to pursue his bid for the presidency.
"No one can stop me, not even Fernando Poe Jr.," Lacson said.
"I am determined to run for the presidency, we have long prepared for this. In fairness to my local supporters and to myself, it's a go and there's no turning back," Lacson said.
Lacson, in a press conference, said Poe is not a member of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) and stressed that he (Lacson) is the only candidate of the LDP.
Lacson said he would try to convince Poe to be his running mate because he would never settle for second best and rather serve the country as a senator.
He said he has lost confidence on the selection process of the LDP since its chairman, Sen. Edgardo Angara, appears to be bent on making Poe the standard-bearer of the party "without the benefit of a correct, fair, just and honest selection process."
"I have always said that I am willing to undergo a selection process that is fair, correct, just and honest and if I am not chosen, I will accept it. But if the selection of the standard bearer is done in a dictatorial manner, then I will not respect it," Lacson said.
The senator is confident that he will be chosen as the LDP's presidential candidate in a fair and democratic process since he enjoys the support of the majority of LDP congressmen as well as incumbent local officials belonging to the opposition party.
A good fight
President Arroyo declined to answer questions about Poe's candidacy, but her political adviser Jose Rufino said: "It will be a good fight."
Hours before Poe's announcement, business tycoon Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco said he was not standing for election.
Arroyo in a press conference at the Central Luzon State University in Nueva Ecija, however, refused to comment on Poe's decision while the President's political adviser, Hernani Braganza, said the Lakas-CMD will be issuing a statement on the issue later.
"I'm not talking politics," Arroyo said twice after she was asked to comment about Poe's announcement and if she feels threatened.
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the administration welcomes Poe to the world of politics and "wish him the best."
Lakas spokesman Heherson Alvarez said it's about time that Poe declares his candidacy to enable the public to see and scrutinize the platform that he would run on, while Gabriel Claudio, Presidential liaison for legislative affairs and Lakas senior deputy secretary-general, said Poe would be a worthy adversary to Arroyo.
Meanwhile, Sen. Loren Legarda, who is reportedly being groomed as Poe's runningmate, said in a separate television interview she is still consulting her supporters about her political plans, but added that there is a big possibility that she will run for Vice President.
She also welcomed Poe's decision to run for President.
Legarda admitted being invited by other political parties to run for Vice President with their standard-bearer.
If ever she decides to run for Vice President, Legarda said she will choose the person who is honest and can unite and inspire the nation.
Sotto said he expects a problem within the United Opposition in choosing their presidential bet now that Poe has declared his presidential bid. Poe is not a member of any opposition party although Angara and Sotto have openly urged Poe to run for president.
Poe will go around the country to consult his supporters as he drafts his platform of government. He will visit Cebu on Friday, and Davao on the second week of December.
Show platform
Business leaders and workers are not closing their doors on Poe.
Donald Dee, president of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (Ecop), said Poe should reveal his platform of government first before they decide whether to support him or not.
"We are waiting for him to explain his plans and programs," Dee said.
According to Dee, if FPJ would have an acceptable platform, he might get the support of the business community.
But he stressed that Poe must also be careful in choosing his running mate or the party he would decide to run under as standard-bearer since these would also have an effect on the decision of the business groups.
For their part, organized labor groups are waiting for Poe to reveal his platform to give them a clear idea on how the action star would run the country if he gets elected.
"At least the waiting game for the opposition is over. We are now waiting for him to tell us his platform like how would he would handle the major economic issues and what would be their stand on employment generation. The rank of workers will rate their platform in choosing whom to vote," Alex Aguilar, spokesman of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), said.
While noting that political experience could be one of the major factors in choosing who they will support for president, Aguilar said the TUCP would give more scrutiny to the platform of government of Poe.
"Experience can be an issue but then we have to always look at what they intend to do, lets see what's behind those intention to run and how he would launch his campaign," Aguilar said.
Militant labor groups Pambansang Mamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and the Sanlakas and Partido ng Mangagagawang Pilipino said before they decide to support Poe, he must lay down concrete solutions to the growing problems of the working class.
"Before we talk of supporting FPJ's bid for the presidency, workers would like to know if the 'Da King' would give all-out support to the rights and welfare of the working class. We want him to present solutions to workers' woes such as unemployment, low wages, high cost of living, contractualization, retrenchment, (company) shutdowns and rotation," Party-list Rep. Renato Magtubo said.
Not keen
Susan Roces said she is not keen on politics even if her husband already declared his presidential bid.
"My husband and I support each other in our endeavors. I am here to support him. As a Filipino like all of you, I believe that it is our responsibility to serve the country to the best of our ability," added Roces.
Poe's younger brother, Conrad Poe, said the whole Poe family supports the presidential bid of his brother.
Poe was born in Manila on Aug. 20, 1939. He is the second of six children of the late actor Fernando Poe Sr. and Elizabeth "Bessie" Kelley, an American born in the Philippines.
He finished grade school in 1953 in San Beda College. He attended San Sebastian College and Mapua Institute of Technology and was in second year high school at the University of the East when he left school for good to join the movies.
He has won acting awards for Mga Alabok ng Lupa (1967), Asedillo (1971), Durugin si Totoy Bato (1979), Umpisahan Mo, Tatapusin Ko (1983), and Magnum 357 (1987).
Aside from being an actor, Poe is also engaged in real estate business. His asset in real estate is estimated at P77 million.
He also has an estimated asset of almost P20 million from his FPJ production and another P19 million being an incorporator of the Erap Foundation. Miko Santos/JPM/ST/Marie Neri/Sunnex Luzon
(November 27, 2003 issue)
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