Saying it was a "good thing" that Poe had accepted the presidential nomination of the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP), Roco warned that Poe’s victory might mean a president who keeps his hands off the critical details of governance.
"Who were the people who ran the government? Where is President (Estrada) now? Will Fernando Poe Jr. suffer the same fate?" Roco asked, apparently referring to Estrada’s ouster and the disunity that followed.
At the same time, former Cebu governor Lito Osmeña formally declined to be nominated as Roco’s running mate and urged that another "plus factor" be chosen as the vice presidential bet of the Alliance of Hope that is supporting Roco’s candidacy.
"I already told (Roco) to look for another running mate because I am already helping him. He should look for another who could help him in the campaign. We need another plus factor," Osmeña told The STAR.
Osmeña is the head of the Probinsiya Muna Development Initiative (Promdi) which, along with the Reporma Party of former defense secretary Renato de Villa, merged with Roco’s Aksyon Demokratiko party to form the Alliance of Hope.
Osmeña was reportedly one of three candidates who Roco is considering as his running mate. The two others are Senate President Franklin Drilon and Sen. Manuel Villar.
Although Roco kept mum about his running mate, he announced the selection of six of the 12 senatorial candidates of the Alliance of Hope.
They are former Security and Exchange Commission chairman Perfecto Yasay Jr., former solicitor general Frank Chavez, broadcast journalist Jay Sonza, lawyer Melanio Mauricio, bowling champion Bong Coo and Sen. Rodolfo Biazon.
It will be the second time Yasay and Chavez will try to win a seat in the Senate while Coo and Sonza are first-time candidates. Mauricio had unsuccessfully run for congressman while Biazon, a former member of the opposition Laban ng Demokratiko Pilipino (LDP), is a re-electionist.
Aksyon Demokratiko chairman and former health secretary Jaime Galvez-Tan said the alliance is still in the process of selecting the six other senatorial candidates.
"We are still in the nomination process," Galvez-Tan said. "You will know on Dec. 30 when our candidates will file their certificates of candidacy."
Last week, Galvez-Tan reiterated that 59 local leaders from various parts of the country were inducted into Aksyon Demokratiko, indicating growing support for the party’s "steadfast commitment to decent leadership and honest governance."
He also stressed that the party’s preparations for the May 10, 2004 elections are in full swing and the Alliance of Hope’s candidates are ready to present their "Platform of Hope" to the Filipino people.
Platform of H.O.P.E. stands for: Honest government, Opportunity for all and special privileges for none, Peace and Education and environment.