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Monday, December 29, 2003
Lacson files COC under LDP; Noli to run as Glo's veep (3rd update; 3:00 p.m.)
MANILA -- Sen. Panfilo Lacson filed his candidacy for president in the May elections on Monday, effectively splitting the opposition against President Gloria Arroyo, while Sen. Noli de Castro confirmed he is running as President Arroyo's vice president.
Lacson registered as a presidential candidate of the opposition LDP (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office even though LDP leaders are backing movie star Fernando Poe.
A huge throng of supporters, including a set of Chinese dragon dancers, backed Lacson, cheering him on as he filled out the required forms at the packed Comelec office.
"This is a first step towards reforms we want in the Philippines. I'd like to repeat that I am the official candidate of the LDP," said Lacson, who resigned as police chief in 2001.
Lacson, who served as police chief of deposed president Joseph Estrada, earlier won the support of much of the ethnic Chinese community for cracking down on kidnapping gangs targeting ethnic Chinese.
He has been an arch-critic of Arroyo and a strong law and order advocate. However, he has also been hounded by accusations of abuses by police under his control.
Congressman Agapito "Butz" Aquino, a key Lacson ally, said Lacson would not be backing down from his presidential candidacy despite efforts by the LDP leadership to field a single opposition candidate against Arroyo.
Cong. Butz Aquino, LDP secretary general, said in a television interviews that Lacson's filing of the COC under the LDP banner "simply means LDP has a very serious candidate in the person of Sen. Lacson."
"He (Lacson) is bent on running for the presidency," Cong. Aquino said, adding that Lacson settling for a lower position "is not an option."
The congressman, speaking on the confusion on who LDP endorses, said, "As far as i'm concerned there is only one LDP candidate and that is Ping Lacson."
He said there are a few LDP members who want to endorse another candidate and that is their business.
Poe, the "king" of Philippine movies, is rumoured to be planning to file his candidacy for president later Monday. He has already been endorsed by a coalition of opposition groups, including the LDP leadership.
The latest surveys put Poe as the front-runner among declared presidential candidates. He is followed by independent former education secretary Raul Roco, President Arroyo and Lacson.
Meanwhile, Arroyo has picked former broadcaster and senator Noli de Castro as her vice presidential running mate.
"I am confirming that I have accepted the invitation of her excellency, President Gloria Arroyo, to be her running mate in the forthcoming national elections," de Castro said in a statement, ending months of speculation.
Analysts have said that de Castro's candidacy as vice president would help boost Arroyo's sagging popularity and eventually lead to more votes for her.
The president and vice-president are elected separately in this country. AFP/Sunnex |
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