Migz Zubiri, hindi pakakawalan ng UNA

Sa kabila ng pagtutol ni Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, hindi pa rin pakakawalan ng United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) si dating Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri upang maging isa sa kanilang senatorial bets sa darating na 2013 midterm elections.

 

"Practically, that's the result [of the UNA decision], both of them [Zubiri and Pimentel] would be in the senatorial slate," ani UNA spokesperson JV Bautista sa panayam ng GMA News Online nitong Lunes.

 

Nabuo ang UNA sa pagsasanib ng Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino ni dating Pangulong Joseph Estrada at Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) ni Vice President Jejomar Binay. 

 

Nauna nang inihayag ng grupo ang kanilang pagnanais na isabak sina Pimentel at Zubiri sa 2013 senatorial race.

 

Sa kabila nito, patuloy na inihahayag ni Pimentel ang kanyang pagtutol sa pagsama ni Zubiri sa PMP. Si Pimentel ang pangulo ng PDP-Laban.

 

Nauna nang nagbanta si Pimentel, sa isang liham kay Estrada, na iiwan ang alliance sakaling pagsamahin sila ni Zubiri sa UNA senatorial slate.

 

Ayon naman kay Bautista, sa naganap na pagpupulong ng UNA, masusi nilang pinag-usapan at sinuri ang naging pagtutol ni Pimentel.

 

"And the decision was that, well, no party must be able to dictate on another party about their prerogative to name their candidate in the senatorial picket. PMP was very vocal that they cannot be told [as such] by the other party," aniya.

 

"In the spirit of strengthening the unity of the alliance and in consonance with the terms and conditions of the covenant of the unity which Senator Pimentel himself affixed his signature to, the candidate endorsed by one component party shall be automatically ba a candidate of UNA," dagdag niya.

 

Ayon sa tagapagsalita, kinausap ng mga pinuno ng alliance si Pimentel matapos nilang gumawa ng desisyon. Inihayag naman ni Pimentel sa kanila na "anticipated and expected" na umano ang naging desisyon.

 

Ayon sa kanya, desisyon na ni Pimentel kung iiwan niya ang alliance o hindi. As of posting time, sinusubukan pang kunin ng GMA News Online ang pahayag ni Pimentel.

 

"UNA will not make any decision for him. He should be able to undertake that decision with all responsibility and the proper commitment," ani Bautista.

 

"We will just wait for the actions he will take. Hopefully, it will be to respect the decision of the alliance and to stay in the [slate]," dagdag niya.

 

Pagpapasalamat ni Migz

 

Samantala, nagpasalamat naman si Zubiri sa naging desisyon ng UNA.

 

"I would like to thank the leadership of UNA for the trust and confidence they have given me by allowing me to formally join the senatorial line-up of the alliance," kanyang inihayag nitong Lunes.

 

"I would like to thank former President Joseph Estrada, Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and the rest of the leaders of the PMP and PDP-Laban. I will do  my best not to let my partymates down, and will jooin them in our fight against poverty, injustice and environmental degradation," dagdag niya.

 

Ayon sa kanya, patuloy niyang susubukang makipag-usap kay Pimentel upang magkaroon ng "united stand" sa mga isyu sa Visayas at Mindanao.

 

"We need to add more voices in the Senate represening our region [so] I am hoping that Senator Koko will see it in his heart to accept the decision of UNA so that we may close this particular chapter of our lives," aniya.

 

Maliban kay Zubiri at Pimentel, nais ding isabak ng grupo sina San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito, Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile, Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay, Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia, at kasalakuyang senator Gregorio Honasan. — Amanda Fernandez/RSJ, GMA News