MANILA, Philippines—Who still wants Chiz?

Despite Senator Francis Escudero's rejection of a team up with Senator Manuel Villar, the Nacionalista Party is still talking to the young lawmaker about the possibility of him becoming its vice presidential bet, according to the party's spokesperson.

NP spokesperson Adel Tamano listed Escudero, Senator Loren Legarda and Vice President Noli de Castro as the top options for the party’s vice presidential slot.

“Let's put it this way. I wish I can say it directly. What I know is there are negotiations. We're talking with everyone... and Chiz is one of those people we're talking to,” Tamano said in a forum.

Tamano, who said anything could happen in politics, counted Escudero's youth, strength in terms of name recall and intelligence as plus points.

Asked about Escudero's earlier statement that he stood for good governance and could not run with Villar, who has been accused of irregularities in the C-5 road project, Tamano said nothing was final yet.

“In politics anything is possible, let's not make it something personal,” he said.

But getting Legarda as Villar's running mate would also be “wonderful” and would pave the way for a reunion between the NP and the NPC, which had stemmed from one party, he added.

On the other hand, a Lakas Kampi official shot down the possibility of Escudero teaming up with the administration's bet, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, since the former had been vocal in rejecting political parties.

“It seems he's going down a different path. Chiz would be a good candidate but even his former party mates are puzzled. Where is he going? He has rejected party affiliations and party alliances so we cannot adopt him because he seems to be going on a solo flight,” said Reginald Velasco, the party's deputy secretary general.

Escudero is now without a party after resigning from the Nationalist People's Coalition, which was expected to field him as its candidate for President. He had said that he still intended to run for President.

The NPC is still deciding on the party to ally itself with after Escudero's departure left it without a standard bearer. It is choosing among the NP and the Lakas-Kampi administration's party.

Velasco believes members of the NPC would likely choose Teodoro if asked who they wanted to work with. Teodoro used to be a member of the NPC, which was founded by his uncle, business tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco.

Velasco pointed out that Teodoro has retained good ties with his former party mates since he had shown good leadership when he was still with the NPC. He added that the alliance between Lakas Kampi and the NPC in the House of Representatives continued to work for both parties.

In choosing an ally, the NPC is taking into account the members' comfort level with the team up and the party's platform, according to its spokesperson Valenzuela Rep. Rex Gatchalian.

Gatchalian said the welfare of its local candidates would bd another big concern.

An NPC supporter, Camarines Sur Representative Luis Villafuerte, earlier told the Inquirer that the NPC and its new adherents would be a crucial factor in the May 2010 elections since their members included politicians who would be involved in field operations and could provide the swing vote.