Political junking seen in 2013 polls

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara said that it was possible that some political parties might endorse their own tickets that might be different from the coalition slate. Joseph Vidal/PRIB

Despite the hype surrounding the formation of two coalition slates for next year’s senatorial elections, candidates admit that political junking will be prevalent.

“Due to confusion in the alignments and coalition, junking of candidates will be inevitable,” said San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor Ejercito, who is running for senator under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

“Candidates will most likely fend for themselves, especially in the LP (Liberal Party) coalition, which has too many parties involved that are not really loyal to each other,” said Ejercito.

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara said that it was possible that some political parties might endorse  their own tickets that might be different from the coalition slate.

Angara cited as an example the case of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), which joined the LP coalition (where a member, Sen. Loren Legarda, is one of the candidates) but has one of its members, Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile, running under the UNA where his father, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, is one of three primary movers.

“It’s not uncommon for candidates or officials at the local level to carry mixed slates since it is very difficult to monitor,” said Angara.

Valenzuela Rep. Rex Gatchalian, NPC spokesperson, said: “Our party leaders and members will discuss the matter accordingly now that the filing period has passed and we know where our candidates will stand. Consistently though, we are responsible for all our party candidates from the Senate down the ticket to municipal councilors. We will be supporting all our party candidates.”