Angara to presidential wannabes: ‘Keep 2008 politics-free’
By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 13:06:00 01/17/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Senator Edgardo Angara on Thursday advised aspirants to the presidency to keep 2008 politics-free and focus instead on genuine reforms.
“I think it’s too early to mess up and confuse the public. It’s all right for them to prepare for their candidacy individually. But to stir up public attention and consciousness about 2010 is bit too early,” he said at the Kapihan sa Senado.
“If [the presidential hopefuls] make 2008 a highly politicized year, because it’s already campaign or election mode, they will forget about any reforms of getting through Congress,” he added.
Angara said his advice goes for everyone thinking of running for president in the 2010 elections, including Senators Loren Legarda, Panfilo Lacson, Richard Gordon, Manuel Villar, Manuel Roxas II, and even Bayani Fernando, chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
“Even if we in Congress pass these reforms, they would be watered down because…[the presidential wannabes] would play to the gallery,” he said.
Angara said he has already given up his own presidential ambitions. “I have been president of so many organizations. Hindi ko na iniisip yan [I’m not thinking of that],” he said when asked about his own plans for 2010.
The president of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP or Fight of the Democratic Filipino), who played kingmaker in 2004 when he brought actor Fernando Poe Jr. and Legarda together to run for president and vice president, respectively, said his party is not yet preparing for 2010 because it was too early.
However, he said, the LDP could deliver the swing vote for any candidate.
“As proven in many elections, LDP deliver[s] the organization and the votes. [In 2010], LDP will be [the] swing vote, not the kingmaker. Whoever we support would win as proven in the 1998 and 2004 elections,” he said.
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