Reporma not yet endorsing Roco

The Partido Para sa Demokratikong Reporma (Reporma) clarified yesterday that it has not yet endorsed any presidential candidate in the May 2004 elections.

In a letter to Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr., Reporma secretary general Hermilando Mandanas sought to correct impressions that the party has already committed its support to a particular candidate, former education secretary Raul Roco.

"We will address this issue in December 2003," the letter stressed. "Our party is now concentrating on setting the standards of good governance and principled leadership."

As this developed, one of the oldest political parties in the Philippines is continuing efforts to revitalize the party nationwide.

"We are confident that the Liberal Party would only get stronger as it takes in more members. Morale is at an all-time high and our members remain staunchly committed to the party’s principles and program of government," Manila Mayor Lito Atienza said.

Along with Roco’s Aksyon Demokratiko and former Cebu governor Lito Osmena’s Promdi, Reporma –led by former defense chief Renato de Villa –bolted the People Power Coalition (PPC) recently.

The three political parties formed part of the PPC in the aftermath of the EDSA II revolt that deposed President Joseph Estrada and catapulted Mrs. Arroyo to the presidency in January 2001.

Roco told a news conference that the three parties will be fielding their common candidates in all areas of the country. He said a three-cornered fight with Mrs. Arroyo, himself and the mainstream opposition is likely in the May 2004 presidential polls.

Bulacan Independent Rep. Wilfrido Villarama, however, downplayed the departure of the three political parties from PPC as he expressed confidence that the administration will have more than enough critical mass to ensure the victory of Mrs. Arroyo in next year’s polls.

"The administration coalition and party have more than enough critical mass to see through the electoral success of the President. Secretary Ople’s Lakas membership will further reinforce the victory of President Arroyo," Villarama, formerly of Aksyon Demokratiko, said.

For his part, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats national spokesman Heherson Alvarez said the Lakas-CMD leadership had expected the withdrawal of the three parties from the PPC because of Roco’s declared presidential bid.

"We expected that. It’s impossible to win back Aksyon Demokratiko because Roco really meant to run and the party was going along with his political program," he said.

Alvarez also dismissed talks that the breakup of PPC could lead to the ouster of Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., the newly installed president of Lakas-CMD, because his hold on the House leadership depended on the PPC, or the so-called Sunshine Coalition.

"The Liberal Party and the NPC have not severed their relations with us so I don’t think there will be changes in the House leadership," Alvarez said. However, he admitted that the future relationship between the NPC and Lakas CMD is still in question.

"NPC is still questionable because we do not know what (NPC chairman emeritus) Eduardo Cojuangco plans to do. If he does not run (for president), chances are the coalition stays," he said.

Certain senators aligned with the PPC were, however, reportedly distancing themselves from Mrs. Arroyo and the ruling Lakas-CMD.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the House committee on accounts, said yesterday that what is happening is "a natural cleansing process." However, he reminded the senators that it was through the help of Lakas that they were elected to the Senate.

"Without Lakas, I wouldn’t be sure where they would be right now," added Rep. Prospero Nograles, referring to Senators Manuel Villar, Joker Arroyo, Ralph Recto and Francis Pangilinan who said in a recent television interview that they have not decided to support Mrs. Arroyo in her re-election bid.

Meanwhile, Reporma is officially recruiting Guingona, who resigned two weeks ago as president of Lakas-CMD, to formally join its ranks.

Guingona’s spokesman Danilo Venida disclosed that the vice president is studying Reporma’s offer and may decide soon.

"We share your advocacy for good governance — to aggressively fight graft and corruption in government, to promote local autonomy, to protect and preserve the right of the Filipino to our national patrimony, to give special attention to the socio-economic development of Mindanao and to address the other critical national development issues," Mandanas told Guingona in his letter.

"Your participation in this crusade to realize the vision for the Philippines to be respected in the family of nations and to restore the dignity and honor of our countrymen will be most welcome, not only by Reporma, but the entire Republic of the Philippines," he added. — With Jose Rodel Clapano, Paolo Romero