Not this year, says Chiz as he scuttles plans

Saying it is not yet his time, opposition Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero yesterday said he is dropping out of the 2010 presidential race and hinted at the possibility of supporting Liberal Party standard bearer and good friend Sen. Benigno Aquino III.

Escudero said in a speech at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City, that he is also not running for vice president, contrary to an earlier pronouncement of former Sen. Sergio Osmena III.

He announced his decision almost a month after he resigned from the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), the party that nurtured his career for 11 years and which groomed him for the presidency.

"This isn’t the time. This isn’t my time and this isn’t our time," he said.

When pressed further, Escudero said: "I’ve always said that for me, it’s the presidency but not at the cost of losing my soul, not at the cost of losing myself, not at the cost by being eaten up by the system and the process and certainly not at the cost of not being able to do the things that I set out to do."

Escudero said his friendship with Aquino was also a factor in his decision.

"Kung tila diktado ng panahon na ito ay para sa kanya hindi para sa isang tunay na kaibigan na makiagaw at makihati pa doon," he said.

Aquino visited Escudero’s house last September purportedly to discuss their presidential plans.

Escudero said he was not asked to be the LP’s campaign manager and that he has not made up his mind who he would support.

Aquino and his running mate, Sen. Manuel Roxas II, said Escudero is welcome to their fold.

Aquino said Escudero’s decision was "based on principle and on the need to promote a kind of leadership that goes beyond usual politics. It demonstrates his genuine desire to fulfill our common vision of restoring good governance in our democratic institutions."

Roxas said he has high respect for Escudero and that the LP is open to him.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson asked Escudero to join him in campaigning against "pretenders" to the presidency who turn out to be "traditional politicians intent on fooling Filipino voters before and after the elections."

Presidential adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio said Escudero’s endorsement of a particular candidate or party would still be valuable and could even make a difference.

Makati City mayor and United Opposition (UNO) president Jejomar Binay said Escudero’s principles are unquestionable.

"He stands by what he believes is right, even if it means breaking away from his political party, or abandoning the pursuit of a higher calling. Chiz Escudero points the way to the new brand of politics needed by the country," he said.

Escudero and Binay worked together during the presidential bid of Fernando Poe Jr. in 2004. Escudero was Poe’s spokesman while Binay was the campaign manager. – JP Lopez and Jocelyn Montemayor

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