‘Controversy,’ consultations hamper release of NPC’s Senate slate  

MANILA, Philippines – Ongoing consultations and a controversy over the choice of candidates have prevented the  Nationalist  People’s  Coalition  (NPC)  from releasing its own senatorial slate on the first day of the campaign period.

Senate President  Vicente  “Tito” Sotto  III, senior council leader of the NPC, revealed the political party’s predicament as the campaign period for national posts got off the wraps on Tuesday.

“We’ll wait till local elections to make our pronouncements for our local candidates to carry our line up,”   Sotto said in a text message Monday.

The campaign period for local positions will start on  March 29.

Sotto earlier named Senators  Grace Poe, JV Ejercito, and former Senator  Lito Lapid as NPC’s bets for the May midterm elections.

READ: Poe, Ejercito, Lapid named NPC senatorial bets in 2019

Ejercito and Lapid are NPC members while Poe,  who is the frontrunner in several pre-election surveys,  is considered an adopted member of the party.

Sotto said NPC failed to officially endorse a senatorial ticket in time for the start of the campaign because of a controversy regarding party members’ choices for the Senate slate.

“Merong mga controversy sa gusto ng ibang members”  he said, but did not elaborate.

When pressed further on the NPC’s failure to release its Senate slate,   Sotto said: “Consultations with our leaders are not done.” / gsg