‘Chiz’ wants more time to ponder presidency

In what could be the biggest surprise in the run-up to the 2010 elections, Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero failed expectations of him finally declaring his bid for the presidency and instead bolted his political party, the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), on Wednesday. Escudero announced his resignation from the NPC a day after reports swirled that he was not keen on teaming up with Sen. Loren Legarda, another party stalwart. He has been with the NPC since he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1998.

The senator continued to keep everyone guessing by not disclosing his plans for his 2010 bid and instead asked for more time to think about it.

Escudero, however, later conceded that he indeed was seeking higher post in next year’s polls.

“Ako po ay nagnanais na tumakbo sa mas mataas na kapasidad, kaya lamang maraming nagmamadali. Hindi naman po isang karera ng kabayo ang eleksyon na ang unang magdeklara ang makakarating sa finish line [I want to run for a bigger office, but many seemed to be rushing me to declare so. Elections are not a horse race where the first one who declares his candidacy is supposed to be the first one who would reach the finish line],” he said.

Reasons for resigning

According to the senator, he left the NPC for three reasons.

One, he said that he believes that those aspiring to be the country’s next president must not belong to any political party.

Two, a presidential candidate must not be tied or bound to any groups or parties that could ruin his administration.

Three, he can make better decisions on his own.

The senator, the youngest would-be aspirant at age 40, said that his resignation from the coalition reflected his belief that anyone who is planning to seek higher office should not belong to any party but to the country and the people.

“Anyone who is seeking the presidency or who will be the president of the country cannot perform his responsibilities if his hands and feet are tied, his eyes are blindfolded and his tongue tied,” Escudero said during a press conference held at the Club Filipino in San Juan City (Metro Manila).

He added that no political party has the monopoly of skills to govern and solve the problems of the country, and that he can be of service better without being affiliated with any political party.

“Higit sa lahat, naniniwala po ako na mas matatanaw ko po, mula sa malaya kong pagkakatayo ang dapat kong gawin at papel na dapat kong gampanan kaugnay ng darating na halalan sa 2010 [I believe that I could better envision my role in the 2010 elections with this decision],” Escudero explained.

If Filipinos really want progress, he said, their leaders should be able to lead the way in junking old ways, such as allocating “pork barrel,” making ambassadors tour guides of congressmen abroad, contractualizing workers and imposing the oil deregulation law.

“At lalong di dapat magdesisyon base sa dinidikta ng interes ng iisang grupo, partido o tao lamang [Moreover, one should not decide based on what is the interest of one group, one political party or one individual],” Escudero added.

Speculations and denials

He said that he informed NPC Chairman Faustino Dy of his decision to leave the party on Tuesday night.

Escudero belied reports that he and Legarda were fighting and that he disdained teaming up with her.

“We had been talking in the past, and it does mean that we won’t talk to each other again. I have cited the reasons why I resigned from NPC. It does not mean that something is going wrong between us,” he said.

“Bukas ako sa lahat. Wala akong isinasarang pinto [I am open to anyone. I am not closing any doors],” Escudero added.

He also denied speculations that business tycoon and NPC Chairman Emeritus Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco has backed out from supporting his candidacy.

NPC to push ahead

Despite his departure, the NPC also on Wednesday said that it would push through with its active participation in next year’s balloting.

Escudero’s “decision [to resign] does not diminish the fact that we remain in a solid position to actively participate in the elections,” said its spokesman and Rep. Rex Gatchalian of Valenzuela City (Metro Manila).

He added that while they were surprised with the decision, the NPC would remain solid and united behind its other members who will run under the party’s banner in next year’s polls.

Gatchalian said that Legarda would continue with her plans to run for vice president under the NPC banner.

Like the NPC spokesman, party member and Rep. Mark Cojuangco of Pangasinan, also on Wednesday said that the party was “surprised” with the decision of Escudero.

“I would like to talk to Sen. Escudero and know the reason why [he decided to leave],” Cojuangco, who is Danding’s son, told The Manila Times.

He expressed confidence that despite the senator’s decision, the NPC would still win in the 2010 elections.

So did Rep. Michael John “Jack” Duavit of Rizal, also the NPC secretary general.

But, Duavit said, he was “still inclined to support [Escudero] on a personal capacity” if the senator declared his candidacy for president.

Reactions to resignation

In a text message, House Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. said that Escudero’s departure from the NPC “has made the political scene fluid.”

Despite resigning from the NPC and holding off his declaration to run for president, Escudero’s supporters, among them Filipinos for Peace, Justice and Prosperity Movement, Magdalo Group, Muslims for Chiz, Moms for Chiz and Youth for Chiz, stood by him, expressing their readiness to boost his 2010 bid.

Lito Banayo, Escudero’s political strategist, said that the senator is popular with those between 18 and 40 years old who comprise 65.2 percent of the voting population.

The NPC’s apparent loss could be the administration party’s apparent gain.

Escudero leaving the coalition, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said also on Wednesday, could pave the way for the senator teaming up with Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, the 2010 standard-bearer of the ruling coalition Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD).

Ermita told a press conference that a Teodoro-Escudero ticket was probable but it would depend on the next move of Escudero or the senator joining the administration party.

In the Philippines and elsewhere, he said, “the chances of a presidential candidate are either enhanced by a good choice of a vice president or the presidential candidate can pull up the other one.”

When asked if the Lakas-Kampi CMD would still consider Escudero despite the senator being a harsh critic of Mrs. Arroyo, Ermita said that anything is always possible in politics as many things constantly change.
On reports of a possible alliance between the ruling party and the NPC, he held comment because, he said, the matter was internal to the NPC.

Teodoro’s take

Teodoro himself said that Escudero’s resignation from the NPC has given him an edge in next year’s race to Malacañang.

Also a former NPC member, he added that a candidate with backing of a political party has an “advantage” than those without.

While Escudero’s resignation surprised many, a lawmaker from the militant Bayan Muna party-list group welcomed the move.

It is “a major political development in the presidential race. His move to bolt the NPC is a welcome move that should develop his capacity to take on many people’s issues in performing his duties to the people,” Rep. Satur Ocampo said.

Ocampo dared other aspirants to also take the stand of Escudero.

Rep. Mong Palatino of Kabataan party-list group said that the senator’s move could usher in “platform-based politics” in the 2010 polls.
Llanesca T. Panti, James Konstantin Galvez, Angelo S. Samonte, Jomar Canlas, Jefferson Antiporda, Frank Lloyd Tiongson and Ira Karen Apanay