‘Open party’ in NPC senatorial list

THE Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) headed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, is adopting an “open party” policy in an effort to field a 12-candidate senatorial slate for next year’s national election.

Sotto, also the NPC chairman, is expected to run as vice-president of Sen. Panfilo Lacson. The two are expected to formally announce their candidacy along with their senatorial ticket and other supporters this coming August 5, 2021, at a venue still to be decided (see also Pinoy Exposé Issue No. 27).

Although adopting an open party policy in drawing up their Senate slate, Sotto, however, in an interview last July 22, 2021, the NPC is not inclined to enter into an “alliance” with other parties, to boost the chances of its candidates.

Sotto cited their past experience when other parties still fielded their own candidates, especially for local positions thus making their alliance useless.

The policy is also expected to benefit other senatorial candidates who are also under consideration by the ruling PDP-Laban for its own slate; they would end up as being “common candidates,” which is nothing new in Philippine politics.

Asked for the names under NPC consideration, Sotto named the following:

Former senator and now Rep. Loren Legarda; former senator and now Sorsogon governor, Francis ‘Chiz’ Chiz Escudero; Sen. Richard ‘Dick’ Gordon, former senator and current Department of Information and Communications (DICT) Secretary Gregorio ‘Gringo’ Honasan, former election (Comelec) commissioner Gregorio ‘Goyo’ Larrazabal; incumbent Senator Joel Villanueva, Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez, incumbent Senator Sherwin ‘Win’ Gatchalian; incumbent Senator Juan Miguel ‘Migz’ Zubiri; former senator JV Ejercito and, former Philippine vice president Jejomar ‘Jojo’ Binay.

Sotto said they optimistic of filling-up their 12-man senatorial slate by the time the filing for candidacy gets underway in October.

The open party policy by the NPC means that candidates would be chosen not on the basis of their political affiliation or membership but on what Lacson and Sotto claim would be their expected “contributions” to the Senate and the country.

“(S)a tingin namin, sila yung may karapatan, sila yung may mga “K” na bumalik sa Senado or makasama sa Senado na makakatulong, na gagawa ng mabuti para sa bansa,” Sotto said.

The policy is expected to personally benefit Legarda, Ejercito, Zubiri and Honasan the most, as they are also among the names mentioned by Eastern Samar governor Ben Evardone as among those being considered by the PDP-Laban for its own slate. Evardone is the party’s chair for the Visayas.

And should Torres-Gomez also ended up in the PDP-Laban list, she, too, would benefit from the policy announced by Sotto as she is also a member of the PDP-Laban.

Also, under consideration by the PDP-Laban, Evardone said on July 20, 2021, are public works secretary, Mark Villar; chief presidential legal counsel, Salvador ‘Sal’ Panelo; presidential spokesman, Atty. Harry Roque; transportation secretary Arthur ‘Art’ Tugade; labor secretary Silvestre ‘Bebot’ Bello III; and, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

Evardone added that entertainer Willie Revillame, action star Robin Padilla and broadcaster Raffy Tulfo are also under the party’s consideration.

In the same interview, Sotto claims he is not bothered of possibly slugging out the country’s second highest position against Pres. Duterte who is being urged by the PDP-Laban to run as vice president and to even choose his running mate.

“I have this thinking na I have a program; I know what I can do.

 “I will offer it to the people. It does not matter who are the others who are running for the same position. We leave it to the people and God willing, the people will vote who they think would be able to help and be better for that position, for that particular position.

“It applies to not only the presidency or the vice-presidency, but all the other positions. And I have been that way since my time as vice-mayor,” Sotto said.