UNA secretary general Tobias Tiangco
MANILA, Philippines — So far the three guest candidates shared by the Liberal Party and the United Nationalist Alliance have yet to show up at either coalitions’ sorties but they will have to choose on February 12.
LP has insisted that their guest candidates – Senators Chiz Escudero and Loren Legarda, and MTRCB chair Grace Poe-Llamanzares – cannot show up at its rival’s sorties, but UNA candidate, former Senator Ernesto Maceda, said they welcome guest candidates if they opt to show up or choose to be left out of both coalitions’ sorties.
UNA secretary general Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco said that the guest candidates will have to choose because while the LP was likely to start its campaign in Manila, theirs would begin in vote-rich Cebu.
“Sabay ang proclamation rallies namin. Saan sila sasampa? (UNA and LP’s proclamation will be held on the same day. Which event would they like to go?) I don’t think they can go on both platforms. We wanted something new and Cebu is the biggest province, with the biggest voting population,” he said.
From Cebu, UNA will gradually make its way back to Makati, said Tiangco.
“Let’s wait for February 12 when, for the first time, they have to decide, sisipot ba sila o hindi (would they show up or not),” said Maceda.
“Pag sa kabila oo, sa amin hindi (If they show up at LP’s events and snub ours) we have to drop our support from them,” Maceda added.
So far none of the guest candidates have appeared in any of the two coalitions’ activities, he said.
Right now, what UNA tells its supporters during sorties is that “they (the candidates) agreed to be guest candidates. The reality is that there’s no big difference between the LP and UNA’s platforms,” Maceda said.
And Tiangco said they would continue to accord guest candidates with hospitality and respect as they count down to the campaign period’s kickoff.
“We treat them with hospitality and respect instead of posing sanctions. We don’t impose restrictions on our own exclusive nine candidates,” he said.