PRP yet to endorse presidential bet

The People's Reform Party (PRP) founded by the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago may have endorsed the candidacy of Mayor Sara Duterte for vice president but it has yet to choose who to endorse among the candidates for president.

On Wednesday, PRP president Attorney Narciso Santiago Jr. said party officials are still searching for the right presidential candidate with less than three weeks left before Election Day.

He hinted, however, of the possibility that the PRP may no longer endorse a presidential candidate.

"Titingnan namin. Gagawa kami ng desisyon. Maaaring before (elections) or maaaring hindi na. Kung wala kaming makikitang makakabubuti sa atin, maaaring hindi na," Santiago told reporters.

(We'll see. We'll make a decision. It could be before the elections or we might not endorse one. If we won't see anybody who we think would be good for us, we might not endorse at all.)

Santiago said all the presidential candidates are being considered, including Mayor Sara's running mate, former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

Marcos was Senator Santiago's running mate in 2016 when the latter sought the presidency back then.

"Mahirap yung padalos-dalos kasi importate para sa ating Pilipino...Maraming factors ang kino-consider namin, yung kakayahan, leadership, intellectual capacity, moral capacity. Marami, kasi napakaimportante ng presidente," he explained.

(It's hard to make a hasty decision because we are considering many factors - the capacity, leadership, intellectual capacity, moral capacity. There are many because a president is very important.)

Santiago issued his remarks at a press conference where he also announced the entry of Commission on Higher Education Chairman Prospero "Popoy" de Vera III as member of the PRP.

De Vera will serve as PRP's vice president for education, advocacy and policy.

He is a veteran political strategist and academician who has helped run political campaigns.

"Considering his background, his training, his education, his experience, his skill and intelligence, he (De Vera) will be a very big asset to the PRP," Santiago said.

"My frustrations in the ongoing campaign is that higher education is not being discussed adequately. It appears that a lot of the issues being discussed have become personal,  have become attacks of candidates and I think it is important that a party  like PRP would be issue-based and policy oriented in the position that it takes, particularly on issues affecting the country," De Vera said. — RSJ, GMA News