NPC eyes meetings with Binay, Roxas, Duterte

MANILA, Philippines - The Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) intends to meet with other presidential candidates to listen to their plans for the country.

“We want to listen to the platforms and programs of action of every candidate so that we will be guided accordingly before eventually deciding on who to support in the next elections,” Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga, one of the party’s spokesmen, said yesterday.

Enverga said they intend to invite Vice President Jejomar Binay, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to hear their platforms of government.

“We will only select candidates whom we believe would best represent and work for the aspirations of our people while also advocating a clean, dedicated and transparent governance,” he said.

The NPC is considered as the second largest political group after the ruling Liberal Party.

Billionaire businessman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. founded it in 1992 for his unsuccessful presidential run. He is now its chairman emeritus.

The Cojuangco party has listened to the plans of potential 2016 candidates Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero at least three times. It invited them two to get-to-know-you-better meetings.

At least 11 NPC members met early this month with outgoing Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, President Aquino’s preferred successor, but it was upon the latter’s invitation.

NPC supported Aquino in the 2010 presidential election.

“We already heard the platforms and programs of Sen. Poe although she is yet to make a decision on whether to run for president or not, and we believe that it’s now about time that we also hear from other candidates before making our final decision,” he said.  

“We are still in the process of consultation and we will surely use the opinions of our members as guide before arriving at a consensus on the candidate the party will support in 2016,” he said.

Another NPC spokesman, Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian, earlier said the party’s options for 2010 are still open despite the three meetings with Poe and Escudero.

As for Binay, he said some members have expressed reservations over the corruption allegations against the Vice President.