Gordon is UNA’S 10th Senate bet

FORMER senator and ex-Olongapo mayor Richard “Dick” Gordon is the 10th senatorial candidate of the United Nationalist Coalition (UNA).

This means only two seats are left to fill before the opposition coalition completes its Senate lineup for the 2013 elections.

Former Sen. Ernesto Maceda, himself an UNA senatorial bet, said coalition leaders are set to choose among reelectionist Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Valenzuela Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, former Sen. Francisco Tatad and vice presidential daughter Nancy Binay.

Gordon was among those who ran against President Aquino in 2010. He is now a cable news program anchor and remains an active Philippine Red Cross volunteer.

Maceda said UNA is still waiting for Escudero to decide whether he would choose the opposition coalition or join a similar bloc being setup by the Liberal Party (LP) with two other groups.

“It remains unclear to us what Chiz wants. If he chooses the LP, he cannot join us and be considered a common candidate. The UNA leaders have already stated there would be no commoncandidates in our lineup,” said Maceda, who was in the Senate yesterday for the celebration of the chamber’s 25th anniversary.

UNAannounces its selection of senatorial candidates by tranches. To date, the list includes reelectionist Senators Loren Legarda and Gregorio Honasan, Cagayan Rep. Jackie Enrile, San Juan Rep. Jose Victor Ejercito, Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay, former Bukidnon Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri, PDP-Laban secretary general Jose “Joey” de Venecia III and Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.