Bongbong, Alan Peter, Jinggoy: Too early to plan for 2016 polls

For three senators whose names are being floated as possible contenders for the country's top elected posts, it is too early to plan for the 2016 polls.

 

In an interview Monday, Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said he is adopting a wait-and-see approach to future political plans.

 

"We are watching what everyone else is doing. My policy has always been to prepare for any eventuality," Marcos told reporters.

 

The senator, son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, however admitted that "in all likelihood," he will be seeking another term as senator.

 

"I will still have to make decisions on a later date, and not right now. Mabilis ang takbo ng pulitika dito sa Pilipinas," the lawmaker said.

 

In a blog post on Sunday, journalist Ellen Tordesillas said the Nacionalista Party (NP) does not consider Senator Marcos a "viable standard-bearer," since he may be implicated in the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam.

 

The NP is supposedly "working on" a ticket led by Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

 

Tordesillas also raised the possibility of an administration tandem composed of Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Senator Francis Escudero. Vice President Jejomar Binay, meanwhile, may tap Gawad Kalinga founder Antonio Meloto to be his running mate. 

 

Nacionalistas have '4 to 5 choices'

 

Cayetano said the NP, which is currently in an alliance with the ruling Liberal Party (LP), has four to five choices for presidential candidate.

He, however, said the party will have to meet by year-end to "double check who is interested" to be the NP standard bearer.

 

Cayetano also admitted he is "not discounting the possibility of [running for] a higher office."

 

"The question is when: 2016, 2022? Who will be the president's choice? Will the NP-LP coalition survive? These are all questions," he said in a separate interview.

 

He however said he would rather run for another term as senator than for vice president.

 

"The vice president cannot implement projects. Ang makakagawa talaga ng mga pagbabago ay presidente," Cayetano said.

 

Jinggoy banks on 'destiny'

 

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, for his part, also said it is not yet the time to plan for the upcoming national elections.

 

"It's too early to think about it. We still have two years left," Estrada said in a separate interview. 

 

"Alam mo, destiny iyan e. Depende sa takbo ng panahon," he added.

 

Estrada, who is being implicated in the pork barrel anomaly, also admitted the scandal has an effect on his future in politics.

 

"Kahit papano may epekto lahat ng fabricated stories. Ako naman, I can fight it out," he said.

 

Estrada is currently facing a plunder complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly pocketing millions in pork barrel funds. Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. are also implicated in the supposed anomaly. — JDS, GMA News