Sen. Angara says poll withdrawal due to int'l commitments, denies Cabinet post offer

Senator Edgardo Angara on Friday said the reason for his withdrawal from the gubernatorial race in Aurora province is his international commitments and not because of any alleged offer to hold a Cabinet position. "I think some of my friends from Baler have written that the reason I'm quitting the race is because I've been offered a government post. That's not true. Although I'm prepared to help the government, I'm not prepared to accept any Cabinet position," Angara told reporters during a press conference on Friday. "I'm prepared to help the government on the specific assignments like what I did for the President when I went to Mexico two weeks ago to attend the inauguration of the new Mexican president," he added. Angara's second term as senator will end in 2013 and he will no longer be qualified for re-election. His son, Aurora Rep. Sonny Angara, will instead be gunning for a Senate seat. Also, Sen. Angara said his withdrawal wasn't about the alleged opposition to the Angara-led Aurora Pacific Economic Zone (APECO). "No one in Aurora of serious and credible reputation opposes APECO.  Those opposing APECO are all from the outside," he said. Because of the senator's poll withdrawal, his brother, Baler Mayor Arturo Angara, will take over his candidacy. In explaining his withdrawal, Angara said it would be "unfair" to the people of Aurora if he wins and he is not able to stay in the province most of the time due to his international commitments. "Kung ako'y maging gobernador, at sigurado naman na ako'y mananalo, kailangan to be able to be a good governor is to stay in Aurora so matatali ako doon at I will be unable to fully fulfill my international commitments," he said. Angara said he has commitments with the Centrist Democrat International (CDI) – an alliance of ruling parties in Europe and Latin America who promote Christian democracy; the Canadian Institute's Anti-Corruption Compliance Conference (ACCC) – an international group focused on anti-corruption measures; and the Angara Center for Law and Economics. The senator said he was elected as vice president for Asia Pacific of CDI, which will be holding its next executive meeting in Manila next year. He also said the ACCC has asked him to take over after it holds its Manila conference in January. "These alone, not to count on my national commitments, and my local commitments would really tie me down and I don't think it's fair for the people of Aurora if I become governor," he said. Asked if he hadn't thought about these things before filing his certificate of candidacy, he said he did but local officials in Aurora won him over. "I hesitated.  In fact I don't want to run, I said.  I've served this country for 34 uninterrupted years from UP until now.  I've already given half of my professional life [to the government] I'd like to do something else.  But the leaders there prevailed on me to run despite my misgivings," he said. He noted, however, that he is confident Mayor Arturo Angara will win. "After surveying the situation in Aurora, I'm confident in saying that the substitute who will run in my stead will win as governor and Aurora will still be in good and safe hands," he said. — LBG, GMA News