INSTEAD of confirming he will run for president in 2010, Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero surprised his supporters and allies when he announced yesterday his resignation from the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).
Escudero, 40, pleaded for more time to think about his political plans, saying he has not yet decided whether or not to run for president in the May elections.
“Let that be the first test of leadership of any putative candidate,” he said in his press conference. “Nais ko pong ipabatid na ako ay nagpaalam at nagre-sign na sa NPC (I
wish to inform you that I have said goodbye and resigned from the NPC).”
Not even the party’s founder and chairman emeritus, Eduardo “Dan-ding” Cojuangco, knew about the decision beforehand, Escudero said. Cojuangco’s nephew, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, earlier left the party and is now the administration party’s presidential candidate.
Escudero said he did speak with the party’s chairman, former Isabela governor Faustino Dy, and that he remains on good terms with party officials.
The decision leaves Escudero with mostly volunteers for a campaign machinery if he does run for office. At his press conference were supporters like the Filipinos for
Peace, Justice and Progress Movement; Magdalo Para sa Pagbabago, Youth for Chiz, Friends of Chiz and Move my Chiz, Move.
Escudero has been an NPC member since 1998 when he first ran for Congress, representing the first district of Sorsogon.
He cited three reasons for leaving NPC: a presidential candidate must not belong to any party, a candidate must not be tied to his party, and he can perform his job better if he is his own man.
Sen. Loren Legarda, the NPC’s probable vice presidential candidate, said she respects Escudero’s decision and understands “the noble sentiments behind it.”
“I can only hope that more self-sacrificing and patriotic individuals will join me in this decisive battle for our people’s ultimate redemption from misery,” she said.
Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco, Danding’s son, said he was surprised by the decision as he expected Escudero to announce he is running for president.
Though his decision on his presidential bid remains on hold, Escudero said it is his desire to run for a higher public office to serve the country either as president or vice president.
“Hindi po ako heredero, hindi po ako bilyonaryo, kaya kailangang timbangin ko ang desisyon sa pagtakbo sa mga susunod na lingo (I am neither a rich family’s heir nor a billionaire, so I need to weigh this decision carefully in the next few weeks),” he said, in a thinly veiled reference to other presidential aspirants like Sen. Benigno Aquino III and Sen. Manuel Villar.
Just last Tuesday, Escudero’s political adviser Lito Banayo disputed speculations the senator will no longer be seeking the presidency in next year’s elections.
Legarda on Tuesday also admitted she has not been meeting with Escudero to discuss their expected tandem for the 2010 polls. (Sunnex)
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