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Saturday, February 17, 2007
Actor replaces Leyte guv in Arroyo's Senate team
MANILA -- Actor Cesar Montaño would be trying his luck in politics after being fielded by Team Unity as its 12th senatorial bet vice Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla.
Petilla decided to seek reelection.
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Tourism Secretary and Team Unity spokesman Joseph Ace Durano said Montaño, who earlier signified his interest to run for the Senate, was" highly recommended" by both the administration party and the coalition team.
Durano said Petilla decided to back out of the senatorial race to seek reelection in Leyte after his mother, Leyte First District Representative Remedios Petilla, declined to run for governor for health reasons.
The Petilla matriarch, who is reportedly planning to retire from politics, finds it "too much a burden in her part to seek election as governor."
He said the Petillas have a strong following in Leyte and they have committed to continue serving their constituents.
Durano said Montaño being a Visayan was also a factor in being chosen to replace Petilla who was supposed to represent the Visayan sector in the administration slate. Montaño, who is a member of the Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats, hails from Bohol.
He added that Montaño's being an actor was just a plus and not a major consideration in the decision to include him in the slate.
He said Lakas consulted its members first and then with the others in the coalition.
Durano stressed that administration candidates, particularly those in Team Unity, were chosen based on their credibility and capability to comply with the advocacies and platform of the administration "and the other consideration of popularity and winnability, it's just a plus that he popular."
Elections lawyer Romulo Macalintal said there would be no legal problem in the substitution of Petilla with Montaño.
Montaño is expected to file his certificate of candidacy as a substitute candidate for Petilla at around 6:30 p.m.
Reports of Petilla's plan to back out led to speculations that he is being replaced by another actor, Richard Gomez, who was earlier reported to be among those being considered to be included in the administration slate.
Durano admitted that Gomez of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) had been considered to be included in the slate in the past but he stressed that Montaño was "highly recommend by Lakas and Team Unity."
National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, meanwhile, said the inclusion of Team Unity member Sultan Jamalul Kiram III in the administration slate puts an end to years of non-representation of Muslims in the Senate.
Gonzales, founder of the Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas (PDSP) where Kiram is a member, said he is the hope of the Muslims who had long wanted to have a voice in the Senate.
Jesuit priest and PDSP co-founder Father Romeo Intengan said Muslims should have at least two representatives in the Senate since they make up 20 percent of the country's population.
Intengan said Kiram is the best choice to represent Muslims because of his wide influence and he is well respected by the Muslims. (JMR/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (February 17, 2007 issue)
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