NPC leadership casts lot with Grace Poe, Chiz Escudero

The leadership of the Nationalist People's Coalition has thrown its support behind Sen. Grace Poe and its former member Sen. Francis Escudero as possible presidential and vice presidential candidates in the 2016 elections.

Saying the NPC remains solidly behind the President Benigno Aquino III's administration and its platform of good governance, NPC president and House Deputy Speaker Giorgidi Aggabao said the majority of the party's members are for Poe and Escudero.

"If there's one presidential candidate that will pursue the agenda of the present administration, we feel that it is Senator Poe...Grace is in the same footing as Mar in the case of continuing the agenda," Aggabao said.

"She had carried herself very well in the short time she's in the Senate...we have looked at our assets and liabilities and we think she would make a good president," he added.

Aggabao made the remark even as Aquino reportedly has yet to convince Poer and Escudero to be part of the Liberal Party ticket that is presumed to have Interior Secretary Mar Roxas as its standard-bearer.

Both Poe and Escudero have yet to announce their respective 2016 political bids.

LP stalwarts believe Aquino will pick Roxas over Poe to be the administration's 2016 presidential candidate.

Founded by businessman Eduardo Cojuangco in the early 90s, the NPC is considered one of the most influential political parties in the country.

While it gives its members the free rein on whether to ally with the administration and the opposition coalitions, the NPC sided with the LP-led Team PNoy coalition when its member Sen. Loren Legarda ran for re-election in 2013.

Aggabao said NPC's role in the coalition will remain the same only with regards to supporting the Aquino administration's platform of good governance.

"NPC remains to be part of the coalition and will remain to be as such until the president's term (ends)," said Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian, theNPC spokesman.

"We believe in his reform agenda and the NPC will be a reliable partner in pushing that but when it comes to political talk, the NPC will also make its distinct decision as to who to endorse in the coming months," he added.

Aggabao said that while the NPC has yet to make an official party stand, historical relations would dictate that their party will likely be in support of a Poe-Escudero tandem.

The NPC supported the 2004 presidential candidacy of Senator Poe's father, the late movie icon Fernando Poe, Jr. Escudero meanwhile was a long-time member of the NPC until he left in 2009.

"Senator Chiz may have left the party but the relationship he forged with the party never dies," Gatchalian said.

NPC members include Senators Loren Legarda and Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, at least 40 congressmen, 14 governors and 22 mayors.

Gatchalian said the NPC expects all its party members to "toe the line" when the time comes. The same is expected of Gatchalian's brother, Valenzuela Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian, who is planning to run for senator initially under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

"Personal relationships should not be confused with political affiliations. He's always been with the NPC and he has never moved parties. He will follow the decision of the NPC in the 2016 elections," the party spokesperson said.

Former Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco, son of NPC chairman emeritus Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr. has also publicly declared to support Binay's presidential bid. —NB, GMA News