Reds give surprise backing to Loren

Local communist rebels gave their surprise backing yesterday to opposition vice presidential candidate Loren Legarda, saying her victory in the May elections will boost peace talks with the government.

Legarda, a senator and former television broadcaster, is on the ticket of Fernando Poe Jr., a movie star challenging President Arroyo in the May 10 polls.

Jose Maria Sison, the exiled founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), said that Legarda "deserve(s) to become the vice president" due to her "ardent advocacy of national independence, civil liberties, development, social justice, healthy environment and just peace."

In a statement to news agencies from his base in the Netherlands, Sison said: "I believe that if you become the vice president you would be in a better position to take initiatives in pushing the (government-rebel) peace negotiations forward to the goal of a just and lasting peace."

The CPP has rejected elections as a route to attaining power. The military says the CPP’s 8,300-member New People’s Army, waging a 35-year Maoist guerrilla campaign, extorts money from politicians campaigning in the rebels’ zone of operations.

Sison did not say if Legarda would be exempt from the "permit to campaign" toll charged by rebel units. She had negotiated the release of several soldiers and policemen kidnapped by the guerrillas in the past.

Mrs. Arroyo called off peace talks with the CPP in mid-2001 after the rebels assassinated several politicians, including Quezon Rep. Marcial Punzalan and Cagayan Rep. Rodolfo Aguinaldo.

However, the two sides declared a Christmas truce last month and the government has been sounding out rebel leaders over the idea of restarting peace negotiations.

As this developed, Senate President Ernesto Maceda, one of senatorial bets of the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino, announced that Poe and Legarda will gather for the first time their senatorial ticket tomorrow at the Makati City residence of Sen. Tessie Aquino-Oreta to map out their campaign strategy.

Maceda said the candidates are also set to approve the party’s economic platform.

He disclosed that former President Joseph Estrada is now excited to campaign for Poe and Legarda. The deposed leader earlier opposed Poe’s decision to pick Legarda as running mate.

Maceda said that the economic blueprint of the KNP was prepared by former Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, former Finance Secretary Jose Pardo and former Economic Planning Secretary Felipe Medalla, all former Estrada cabinet members.

Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto II said that the other members of Poe’s advisory group include Emmanuel de Dios, an industrialist; Raul Fabella, dean of the University of the Philippine School of Economics; Calixto Chinkiangco, an economist; and former Finance Secretary Roberto de Ocampo.

Sotto, spokesman to Poe, said that opposition Sen. Sergio Osmeña III, chairman of the Senate banks and agrarian reform committees, is also part of the economic team of Poe, while Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. is being tapped as a member of a dream economic advisory group of Poe.

He said that a slot in KNP’s senatorial slate is still open for Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos should she change her mind.

The Marcos family is reportedly still trying to resolve the power vacuum that will be created in Ilocos Norte should Imee decide to run and leave her congressional post. — AFP, Jose Rodel Clapano