Poe-Chiz tandem forming powerhouse Unity Party – source
Not everybody in the 12-man Koalisyon na Daang Matuwid (KDM) senatorial slate will get into the magic 12 in next year’s national elections, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. admitted yesterday.
The newly appointed campaign manager of the administrationbacked coalition said he has counted at least two dozen serious senatorial bets – some of them equally popular with those in the KDM line up.
“The objective is not really victory for all. There are many popular candidates in other groups,” Belmonte said.
Assured of getting a third term as House leader if allies of the current administration wins majority of the House seats, Belmonte said he will strongly push for a huge win for the KDM led by its standard bearer, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.
“I will give my time and best effort,” stressed Belmonte as part of his commitment as campaign manager.
This, despite reports that Belmonte faces a strong contender in the congressional race in Quezon City’s fourth district.
Belmonte is being challenged by top Councilor Jesus “Bong” Suntay. A taxicab and gasoline station operator, Suntay was a former ally of the Belmontes who is on his last term as councilor.
Among the strong opposition bets who have figured prominently in senatorial race surveys are eight-division world boxing champion and Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao; re-electionist Senators Tito Sotto and Sergio Osmeña III, former Senators Richard Gordon, Panfilo Lacson and Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Pacquiao has joined the United National Alliance under Vice President Jejomar Binay while the rest are included in the line-up of presidential bet Senator Grace Poe.
Reliable sources revealed that Poe and her running mate, Sen. Francis Escudero are forming a powerhouse Unity Party that would field a complete Senate slate in 2016.
The Unity Party representatives and the camps of Reps. Manny Pacquiao (PDP-Laban, Saranggani) and Gwendolyn Garcia (NP, Cebu) are reportedly in the final stages of talks and will soon reveal their line up, sources added.
The partial list released by sources showed the following in the list: reelectionist Senators Vicente Sotto (NPC) and Ralph Recto (LP) ; Reps. Sherwin Gatchalian (NPC, Valenzuela City); Roman Romulo (LP, Pasig City) and Nery Colmenares (Bayan Muna); former Senators Richard Gordon (Bagumbayan) ; Panfilo Lacson (Ind.); Juan Miguel Zubiri (Ind.) ; Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno (PMP) ; and popular litigation lawyer Lorna Kapunan (Aksyon Demokratiko).
Among the unknown administration candidates, Belmonte made special mention of Nariman Ambolodto, former Assistant Secretary for Muslim Affairs and Speical Concerns in the Department of Interior and Local Governments.
“She has a very beautiful life story. Somebody who has been really a victim of conflicts (in Mindanao) and she has managed to go up,” said Belmonte.
However, the House leader admitted that Ambolodto’s chances of winning as senator is slim.
“Maybe this is not her time to be a senator yet. But definitely the fact that Liberal Party gives recognition to such a person and her life story to be known to the Filipino people, I think it’s very ennobling to the Filipino people itself,” Belmonte pointed out.