FPJ seeking reunification talks with Ping — Remulla

Despite accepting his nomination as standard-bearer by the opposition political coalition pushing his presidential bid, movie actor Fernando Poe Jr. is seeking to jumpstart another round of "unification" talks with rival Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

But the plan might not push through since there are people influencing Poe against it, Cavite Rep. Gilbert Remulla claimed yesterday.

He said Poe is "very disappointed" by the recent infighting in the ranks of Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) in the way his political patrons — party president Sen. Edgardo Angara and Sen. Vicente Sotto III — are managing the political affairs of "Da King" of Philippine movies.

"According to feelers that we (received), FPJ (Poe) is very disappointed with the circle around him, and he wants to revive talks with Senator Lacson but outside the interference of Senator Angara," Remulla said.

Remulla, who supports Lacson, said the one who sent the feelers is outside Angara’s group but a very close aide of the actor.

Sotto, on the other hand, said Remulla is "inventing and engaging in wishful thinking" in his claims.

"Everything is done in our pace, everything is done in order. I’m wondering where they got their information. They are either inventing or just resorting to wishful thinking. Our — Senator Angara and I — relationship with FPJ is doing quite well," an irate Sotto told The STAR yesterday.

Sotto claimed Remulla is apparently floating "a pure fiction."

"They are probably wanting to take over the handling of the political affairs of FPJ. FPJ is running his campaign on his own. We, Senator Angara and I, are just (acting as conduits) in his campaign. That’s the bad news that I have for Remulla’s group," Sotto said.

Sotto claimed he does not speak for Poe notwithstanding being a close friend of the actor.

He also challenged Remulla and his group to refrain from speaking on behalf of Poe.

"I, for one, being a good friend of FPJ, don’t speak for him. Why they are speaking for him (FPJ). I challenge them to refrain from speaking as his spokesman and refrain from inventing things for him," Sotto said.

Sotto said Remulla and the rest of Lacson’s supporters in the LDP "might as well transfer to the administration Lakas."

"They are hitting the legitimate standard-bearer of the united opposition. Given that, they might as well join Lakas," Sotto said.

Sotto said he and Angara are ready to face Remulla and other Lacson supporters whom he claimed are launching "black propaganda" to derail Poe’s candidacy. Angara, for his part, was not available for comment.

Remulla was among the LDP members sanctioned by Angara after proclaiming Lacson as the united opposition’s bet for the May 2004 presidential elections.

He said Lacson’s allies in the LDP are now finalizing the details of another meeting with Poe.

Minority Leader Carlos Padilla (Nueva Vizcaya), who is with the pro-Lacson LDP faction, has claimed Poe earlier reneged on his agreement with Lacson to try to resolve who between them should be the opposition’s presidential bet.

Padilla, who heads the LDP contingent in the House of Representatives, suggested that Poe and Lacson should lock themselves up in one room and settle things between them, away from "whisperers, fixers, middlemen, and party saboteurs."

He said claims that Lacson is demanding concessions from Poe are being peddled by "Malacañang-sponsored infiltrators who have been fomenting this conflict within the opposition."

Lacson repeatedly said he is open to another meeting with the movie actor to come out with an agreement how to unify the LDP and support one common candidate.

Remulla, meanwhile, disclosed a partial senatorial line-up of Lacson which he claimed has included two people closely identified with former President Fidel Ramos.

The possible candidates include Padilla, former ambassador to Egypt Macario Lanto, former immigration commissioner Rufus Rodriguez, former senator Francisco Tatad, socialite Rose Marie Arenas and Tagaytay City Mayor Francis Tolentino.