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Loren, Chiz agree not to join UNA on stage during sorties


Re-electionist Senators Loren Legarda and Francis Escudero have agreed not to join the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) on stage during sorties now that they are officially part of the administration senatorial slate, a ranking official of the Liberal Party (LP) said Monday.
 
Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, LP secretary-general, said President Benigno Aquino III personally asked Legarda not to speak during UNA’s sorties although she is a common candidate of both parties. Aquino chairs the ruling party.
 
“It will confuse the people if a bunch of 24 guys are saying the same thing although they belong to separate slates,” Abaya said before the official proclamation of the LP-led administration slate in San Juan City.
 
Abaya, however, admitted that there are still “grey areas” that still need to be addressed, such as if Escudero and Legarda can participate during UNA’s motorcades.
 
The LP official added that Escudero and Legarda “will be handled in the same way the all 12 administration candidates will be treated” so as to be “fair to all.” As of posting time, GMA News Online was still trying to reach the camps of Legarda and Escudero. Campaign manager
 
Abaya also said that Senator Franklin Drilon, LP vice chairperson, will serve as the administration slate’s campaign manager.
 
“He [Drilon] is a veteran in moving people and making them fall in line,” Abaya said.
 
Aside from Legarda and Escudero, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chair Grace Poe-Llamanzares is also a common candidate of both UNA and LP. Llamanzares had earlier committed to exclusively join LP during campaigns.
 
The administration slate also include: Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Aquilino Pimentel III and Antonio Trillanes IV; former senators Ramon Magsaysay Jr. and Jamby Madrigal; Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara; former Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar; former Akbayan party-list Rep. Rissa Hontiveros; and the President’s cousin, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV.
 
The administration slate was formed after the LP forged a coalition with the Nationalist People’s Coalition, Nacionalista Party and the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino. — RSJ, GMA News
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