Cynthia Villar denies NP-NPC alliance to back Poe, Escudero

Sen. Cynthia Villar. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

Senator Cynthia  Villar  denied  on  Thursday  that the Nacionalista Party (NP) and the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC)  are forming a tactical alliance to support the possible run of Senators Grace Poe and   Francis “Chiz” Escudero.

Villar  is the wife of  former senator  Manny Villar, president  of  NP.

“Former Senate President Manny Villar and I are as surprised as everyone else to learn about this announcement,” she  said in a statement.

“NP is in the middle of consultation within its ranks, and we have set a September deadline before we can officially announce our participation in the May 2016 polls,”  she added.

The lady senator  was reacting  to NPC president and Deputy Speaker Giorgidi Aggabao that the two parties are forming  a tactical alliance to support Poe and  Escudero, who were the  voters’ top choice for  president and  vice president, respectively, based on the latest Pulse Asia survey.

READ: NP, NPC go for Poe-Escudero

“To reiterate, we have to first determine the plans of our own members before we can express support for non-members. We are very proud of our party,” she said.