Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn FAT REYES/INQUIRER.net
The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) is choosing between the daughter of Vice President Jejomar Binay and Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn to complete its senatorial ticket, following the withdrawal of businessman Joey de Venecia from the slate.
Former President Joseph Estrada on Wednesday said he and other senior UNA leaders were in serious talks with both Hagedorn and Nancy Binay to determine who between the two would take the abandoned slot in the coalition’s lineup.
“Both of them are strong candidates,” said the 75-year-old Estrada, who is himself running for mayor in Manila. He said De Venecia’s replacement should be known by Thursday in time for the deadline of the filing of the certificates of candidacy on Friday.
Estrada described Hagedorn as his “look-alike,” who is known for his campaign against illegal gambling in Palawan province. Estrada said Nancy Binay had been mentioned as a possible candidate before, but she was to get the blessings of her father.
The younger Binay fared better than De Venecia in a recent UNA-commissioned survey that placed her at the 12th spot. De Venecia was far behind at 17th to 18th place.
De Venecia withdrew his candidacy at the last minute, purportedly because of a business opportunity. Estrada said the new business would require De Venecia to be out of the country most of the time.
Estrada said keeping De Venecia’s spot on the UNA slate vacant could also be an option. But he said that possibility should not be construed as a “weakness” on the part of UNA.
“Even if we have an incomplete lineup but if we end up winning more seats, we still beat them (Liberal Party candidates),” he said.
The UNA-commissioned survey showed that it could win at least seven out of 12 seats in next year’s senatorial election. But two of those in the Magic 12—Senators Loren Legarda and Francis Escudero—were also included in the administration ticket.
The third “common” candidate is Grace Poe-Llamanzares, the resigned chairperson of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board who was at 27th to 28th place in the survey.
Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco, UNA secretary general, said he had been assigned by Binay to look for a replacement for De Venecia. He said he was looking at Binay’s daughter Nancy, citing her high rating in the surveys.
“That’s the logical thing to do (run because of the high rating),” he said.
But Tiangco said Nancy Binay seemed “hesitant” to plunge into politics.