House admin allies, Makabayan bloc coalescing to support Poe, claims Deputy Speaker

Three major political parties allied with the Aquino administration are looking to form an alliance with the progressive bloc in Congress to back the candidacy of Senator Grace Poe for president, according to Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) acting president and House Deputy Speaker Giorgidi Aggabao.

 

The Isabela Representative said his party is in talks with the National Unity Party, the Nacionalista Party, and the Makabayan coalition for the creation of a coalition allied with Poe.

 

“NPC, NUP, NP and the Makabayan bloc are forming an expansive coalition to support Sen. Grace. We are in constant talks,” Aggabao said in a text message.

 

Poe reportedly had dinner with leaders and members of the four political groups a day before she announced her plan to run for president Wednesday night.

 

Asked if the “expansive coalition” being planned by NPC, NUP, NP and the Makabayan bloc be bigger in size than the Liberal Party, Aggabao said: “I would think so, yes.”

 

NPC, the second largest political party in the country, has held three meetings with Poe prior to her announcement that she will be running for president. The party, however, has yet to formally endorse her.

 

The party founded by businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco has also held separate talks with presidential contenders former Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and Vice President Jejomar Binay, but these came after the meetings with Poe were conducted.

 

Though Poe has already announced her candidacy, Aggabao said the formal launch of the pro-Poe coalition will still have to wait.

 

“The formal launching of the coalition will be made at the appropriate time, quite possibly after Sen. Grace has filed her certificate of candidacy or sometime later. I’m thinking the timing will be very important to consider,” he said.

 

In a separate text message, NPC spokesperson Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga said the party has yet to formally decide on whose presidential bid it will back next year.

 

“We have yet to make decision on who to support for president,” he said.

 

'Propaganda'

 

Sought for comment, LP vice president for political affairs Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice dismissed talk about the imminent formation of an “expansive coalition” in Congress as “propaganda.”

 

“I don’t think it’s true,” he said.

 

Erice said it is likely that political parties allied with the administration will let their members decide on who to support on their own “depending on the local political dynamics in their respective areas.” —JST, GMA News