Noynoy entry no big deal
for Lakas-Kampi: Ermita
BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR
EXECUTIVE Secretary Eduardo Ermita, president of the ruling Lakas-Kampi coalition, said he sees nothing new or spectacular in Sen. Noynoy Aquino’s decision to enter the 2010 presidential race.
Ermita said Aquino is qualified for the position, but added he sees no “strong clamor” for him to run.
Obviously referring to the impact of the Aquino’s declaration at the Club Filipino, Ermita said the projection of a strong clamor is “because it’s good news coming as it did at a time when there’s still period of mourning.”
“He is son of the former president and former senator. Other than that there isn’t really anything spectacular about it,” he said, adding it would be interesting to watch how long the euphoria over Aquino’s decision to run would last.
Other Malacañang officials reacted to the Aquino announcement by simply wishing the senator good luck.
Presidential adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio said Aquino has good intentions and simply wants to continue the legacy of his parents.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said Aquino is a welcome addition to the presidential race which needs “strong contenders” and “Noynoy has emerged as one.”
House Speaker Prospero Nograles welcomed Aquino’s decision but said the emergence of another strong opposition bet will only work in favor of the administration candidate.
“With highest respect and best wishes of ‘Good luck, good health and God bless you’, I personally welcome the formal entry of Noynoy into the presidential race,” Nograles said in a text message to reporters.
However, Nograles said Aquino will face the problem of disunity and fragmentation in the opposition camp since presidential aspirants are unwilling to give way to one another.
“Frankly, this won’t affect Lakas-Kampi party as we look forward to more and more opposition parties fielding their own presidential candidates. Maybe this will give our people a wider range of alternatives. But I find that this new development will really affect the opposition groups more than the administration party,” said Nograles, the Lakas-Kampi vice chairman.
The Nationalist People’s Coalition said it is not threatened by Aquino’s decision because their own two presidential hopefuls, Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Loren Legarda, remain the candidates to beat.
NPC spokesman and Valenzuela City Rep. Rex Gatchalian said although neither of the two have expressed willingness to give way for the other, this would be resolved according to NPC rules under which both have agreed to submit.
“A Chiz-Loren or Loren-Chiz tandem will be formidable, and we are confident that they have a great chance of pulling it off in 2010,” Gatchalian said. – With Peter Tabingo
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