Loren offers to quit VP race but FPJ rejects bid

In a bid to heal the rift in the ranks of the opposition, Sen. Loren Legarda offered the other day to resign as running mate of opposition presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr.

Her offer, however, was flatly rejected by Poe, who reportedly told her, "Walang iwanan. Kailangan kita (No abandonment. I need you)."

In a telephone interview yesterday, Legarda confirmed that she told Poe on Sunday she was "willing to yield if my staying on was a cause for disunity in the opposition."

According to Legarda, Poe told her she was his only choice as running mate.

Divisions in the Koalis-yon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) became evident last Sunday after opposition stalwarts Sen. John Osmeña and former Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago joined the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party’s senatorial ticket.

Former President Joseph Estrada is now reportedly supporting Legarda as Poe’s running mate, after his son, former San Juan Mayor Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, was included in the KNP’s senatorial ticket.

Estrada, a long-time friend and colleague of Poe, earlier disapproved of Legarda as Poe’s running mate. Legarda played a pivotal role during Estrada’s impeachment trial in 2001.

Estrada had earlier endorsed Santiago and Sen. Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan to be Poe’s running mate. Honasan is reportedly planning to run for vice president as an independent.

Sources in the opposition told The STAR that Poe stands by his people "all the way, especially when they are beleaguered."

"Ronnie (Poe’s other nickname) believes he needs Loren to achieve his goals. In this case, he simply stood by his woman," added the source.

Asked what she told Poe after he rejected her offer to yield her slot as his running mate, Legarda said, "I promised him we would work as a team."

She said that although she understood the disappointment of Estrada’s followers in Poe’s choice, she had no regret about the stand she took in Estrada’s impeachment trial.

"But I really didn’t want to be a cause for disunity… I am not selfish. I was willing to yield, but FPJ would hear nothing of it," Legarda said.

Legarda, who topped the senatorial polls in 1998, left the ruling party in October, purportedly over a difference in principles. She earlier said she has also received offers from presidential bet Raul Roco and Sen. Panfilo Lacson to be their running mate, but chose Poe because she believed he could unite a "deeply divided" nation.

She faces an uphill battle against Sen. Noli de Castro, a former colleague at the ABS-CBN network, who is the running mate of President Arroyo.

Legarda’s term as senator ends this year.

In a telephone interview, Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III said, "there (were) 19 senatorial hopefuls earlier seeking to be included in the KNP. Now, (Tarlac) Rep. Noynoy Aquino, Vice President Teofisto Guingona and Sen. (Teresa) Aquino-Oreta declined to run for senator... We have remaining 14 senatorial hopefuls at present, and that includes Jinggoy and (former Senate president Ernesto) Maceda."

Maceda, meanwhile, said he was persuaded to join Poe’s senatorial ticket "because (Poe) told me that my expertise in crafting laws is very much needed when he claims victory in 2004. I told him that I can help him in his campaign and be ready to be one of his Cabinet members, but Mr. Poe pointed out that he needs my help in crafting laws," Maceda said in his radio program over dwIZ.

Besides Jinggoy and Maceda, those who will fill the 12-candidate senatorial slate of the united opposition are former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, former Sen. Fancisco Tatad, re-electionist Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, former senator Ernesto Herrera, Maguindanao Rep. Didagen Dilangalen, former Manila mayor Alfredo Lim, Jamby Madrigal and Amina Rasul.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos has yet to decide whether she will seek a seat in the Senate or the House and had not filed her certificate of candidacy as of press time.

Sources within the KNP said the opposition coalition has already dropped Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla Jr. from his roster of senatorial candidates. Padilla opted to support Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s presidential bid.

Explanation Sought

Estrada’s supporters urged Poe to explain why he picked Legarda as his running mate.

In an interview, Tatad, vice president for external relations of the Partido ng Masang Pilipino, said the PMP leadership tasked former agrarian reform secretary Horacio "Boy" Morales to relay the consensus of the PMP leaders to Poe questioning his decision to select Legarda as his vice-presidential bet.

Tatad, Morales, Enrile, Maceda, Dilangalen, Marcos and Madrigal, among others, sat down with Estrada at his detention area at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, where they tackled the problems facing the opposition.

Tatad said they also tackled the possible impact of Poe’s decision to select Legarda as his running mate.

"There are some who commented during our meeting that (Poe) may be able to give solution to the present problem with former (Santiago) and (Osmeña’s) decision to bolt the opposition," Tatad said. "The real apprehension is that (Poe’s) supporters, who should shout ‘long live FPJ," might boo Legarda while they are campaigning."

Tatad also said the PMP leadership is respecting Poe’s option to choose his running mate, "but, if that (is a) problem, the solution is for (Poe) to explain to his supporters why he chose Legarda. Show them Legarda’s quality that entitled her to be (Poe’s) running mate. That problem has to be prevented."

He added that some of his colleagues in the PMP do not see Legarda as a true member of the opposition. He said Legarda is the strongest lobbyist for herself "because she wants to be a vice-presidential candidate of any presidential candidates who want to pick her."

At the House of Representatives, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo challenged Legarda not to reverse her position on the Estrada plunder case just because she is now Poe’s running mate.

In a statement, Ocampo said Bayan Muna, which supported Legarda in her senatorial bid, is having second thoughts about supporting her bid for the vice-presidency.

Ocampo said he and Legarda were on the same side during the Edsa II people power uprising that toppled the Estrada administration.

"(Legarda) should stand her ground on what she did in the impeachment trial as a matter of principle," Ocampo said. — With Jose Rodel Clapano, Paolo Romero