Some LPs ask: Where are new faces?

Grace Padaca and Erin Tañada

Not all Liberal Party (LP) members are happy with the ruling coalition’s senatorial slate, which consists of only three LP members, two of them only recently sworn in.

Why could not the LP, President Benigno Aquino III’s party, field homegrown long-term members, complained some party members. Others defended the LP leadership’s decision, saying “winnability” was more important than tenure in the party.

Only three LP members made it to the administration coalition slate—former Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. and newly sworn in members Jamby Madrigal, herself a former senator, and Paolo Benigno Aquino, the President’s cousin.

The rest of the administration slate is made up of candidates from its alliance partners the Nacionalista Party and Nationalist People’s Coalition, as well as candidates from Akbayan, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan and Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino.

Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat said the LP, with its status as the party in power and with a popular President, could have pushed for and increased the profile of its own members in the senatorial elections, instead of coalescing with too many parties and fielding “the same old names.”

“I think this would have been the most opportune time for the LP to develop party stalwarts and true liberals like [Quezon Rep.] Erin Tañada and [former] Gov. Grace Padaca as senators,” Baguilat said on Sunday.

Baguilat wondered as well if party members could campaign for “a slate that does not look like it came from the LP at all.”

But LP official Neptali Gonzales II defended the choice of candidates. He said the longevity of an official in the LP should not be a factor in choosing candidates. What’s important is they were willing to become part of the LP and have embraced its principles, Gonzales said.

He said that in deciding on its senatorial candidates, the party had to face political realities and consider “winnability.”

“You also have to be realistic. It’s not enough that you want to run, if you’re just going to waste money and time. While surveys are not the be-all and end-all in making a decision, they serve as a good indication and a guide. We all know how costly a senatorial campaign can be,” he said.

Another LP member, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, said party members should respect the decision of the LP leaders. He said the choice of newly sworn-in candidates “doesn’t mean the LP is a frail group.”

“It’s not a sign of weakness because we have national and local leaders who are credible and capable,” Evardone said.

Aside from Magsaysay, Madrigal and the young Aquino, the LP-NP-NPC senatorial slate includes reelectionist senators Loren Legarda, Francis Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, Aquilino Pimentel III and Antonio Trillanes IV; Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara; former Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar; Akbayan party-list member Risa Hontiveros, and censors chief Grace Poe Llamanzares.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño derided the two rival coalitions for fielding old names and faces who are unlikely to bring a new vision to the Senate. “Is there no one else?” he asked in a statement.

“Same old, same old,” was the reaction of ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio.

Even Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., LP vice chair but who did not participate in the selection process, said: “One wishes there were more new faces.”

“Unfortunately, name recognition and money will mainly determine this senatorial race. There are lots of good candidates out there who could win if voters were more informed and elections were not so expensive,” said Akbayan paty-list Rep. Walden Bello.

Originally posted: 8:33 pm | Sunday, September 30th, 2012