Roco backs brod, not Nora, for governor

Sen. Raul Roco said yesterday that he is pushing for his brother, Naga City Mayor Cho Roco, to run for governor of Camarines Sur, and denied asking President Estrada to endorse the candidacy of actress Nora Aunor for the post.

"I did not lobby for the presidential endorsement of Nora Aunor. I suspect that some of Aunor’s supporters gave this impression so that she would be endorsed by the President," he said.

At the same time, he revealed that leaders of various political parties in Camarines Sur have formed a coalition against Gov. Luis Villafuerte of Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino.

Roco said that the members of the united opposition are Rep. Arnulfo Fuentebella of the Nationalist People’s Coalition; former Con-Con Delegate Felix Alfelor and Iriga City Mayor Manuel Alfelor of the Liberal Party, Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. and former Naga City Mayor Jess Robredo of Lakas; and Roco himself, his brother Cho and Rep. James Jacob of Aksyon Demokratiko.

Roco said that all members of the group have agreed to field only one candidate against Villafuerte.

"If we are divided, we might be defeated," he stressed.

Roco, himself, will seek to represent the province’s second district in the House against Bong Villafuerte, son of the governor, in the May 2001 elections. The young Villafuerte lost to Jacob in the 1998 elections.

Fuentebella, who had refused Roco’s proddings to run for governor, will field his son against Camarines Sur Vice Gov. Imelda Papin for a seat in the province’s third district. — Efren Danao