Opposition's Senate Slate a Strange Mix

The opposition senatorial lineup for next year’s election, if finally firmed up, would be considered first in Philippine political history.

It has more twists and ironies than any lineup in any senatorial contests in the past.

Can you imagine a team up of Tessie Aquino-Oreta, the “dancing queen,” and Loren Legarda, the “crying lady,” two key figures in the tumultuous impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada. Or Senate President Manny Villar heading the Estrada-anointed ticket? Will Villar be singing praises now to Estrada, after he practically drove the last nail in his coffin for sending posthaste the impeachment complaint to the Senate when he was the speaker of the House?

Political observers are saying that the Estrada lineup could raise more eyebrows than expected. Former Sen. Tito Sotto, himself aiming for another shot in the Senate under the lineup, has virtually confirmed that the opposition senatorial slate has the blessings of Estrada. In fact, in a radio interview, Sotto has said that most of those in the slate have already visited the former president in his luxurious rest house in Tanay, Rizal.

According to Sotto, the Estrada magic is still strong in the rural areas and that is the reason why his endorsement is being sought. Besides Sotto, Legarda, Oreta (both former senators) and Villar, those in the Estrada lineup are opposition Congressmen Allan Peter Cayetano and Francis Escudero, incumbent senators Ralph Recto and Francis Pangilinan, former senators John Osmeña and Gregorio Honasan, Mayor J. V. Ejercito of San Juan, and Aquilino Pimentel, III, son of Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson has been stricken from the list, reportedly because he is set to run for mayor of Manila. But sources said that Lacson, a former protégé of Estrada, has “burned all his bridges” with his former benefactor.

There is also talk that former Labor undersecretary Susan V. “Toots” Ople, youngest daughter of the late senator and foreign affairs secretary Blas F. Ople, has been sounded out by several groups to run for the Senate next year. It has not yet been ascertained whether the younger Ople, who is now the president of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute, would join the senatorial race and in whose party. Ople, also a former communications undersecretary, used to write a column at The Manila Times before her father died.

It has not also been confirmed if Sen. Loi Ejercito Estrada, would seek reelection. If she would, then she would be running along with JV Ejercito, Estrada’s son by Guia Gomez. If both of them win, then there would be three Estradas in the Senate, along with Jinggoy.

If Congressman Cayetano makes it, he would be joining his sister Pia Cayetano, an incumbent senator.

And if the younger Pimentel wins, there would be a father and son tandem, on top of the mother and son combination in the Senate.


================================================== =


Tuloy ba election sa 2007? Maaga pa naghahanda na sila. Sa pulitika talaga, walang permanent enemies. Look at the opposition line-up, may brother/sister, father/son tandems, yun dating kaaway ni Erap (Villar) nasa kanila na. Pero si Lacson, nagpusong mamon? Ehe-he!