Jack Enrile: I'm an UNA senatorial candidate

MANILA, Philippines -  Cagayan Rep. Juan Ponce “Jack” Enrile Jr. yesterday said he remains a candidate of the United National Alliance (UNA) even if his name was not listed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as part of the senatorial slate of the political group.

Enrile’s decision to put Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) as his political party in his certificate of candidacy (COC) had some people raising their eyebrows.

“I’m running under the banner of UNA but I put NPC, the party to which I belong, because UNA is not a political party. We have to be careful and accurate in these things,” Enrile said in a telephone interview.

The NPC of former ambassador and business mogul Eduardo Conjuangco Jr., uncle of President Aquino, had forged a partnership agreement with the administration’s Liberal Party, along with the Nationalista Party (NP) of former senate president Manny Villar.

Enrile, 54, is hoping to replace his father and namesake, who is now on his last term.

Last Monday, the Senate President accompanied his son, along with UNA bets former senators Richard Gordon, Ernesto Maceda, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay, former Tarlac governor Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco, re-electionist Sen. Gregorio Honasan and San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito to the Comelec to file their respective COCs.

Except for the younger Enrile, everyone else listed their party as UNA in their COC.

Jack said he even accompanied Nancy Binay, also an UNA senatorial bet, when she filed her COC on Friday.

He said his advocacy would be on food security and agriculture.

“I participate in this political exercise leading in the call of thousands of our farmers, fisherfolk and other food producers for a shift in agricultural framework that adapt to the changing environment and that would truly provide greater empowerment not just to our producers but also to the consuming public,” he said.

He said since 2010, he has been in consultations for a realistic approach to the worsening food supply “for we are slowly witnessing a world food crisis forthcoming and it’s imperative for us to ensure supply for all.”

“But of course, this is not solely about supplies; it’s also about the access to it. Our people should not be deprived of feeding themselves in their own country. It is a basic right to have access to food, more importantly, affordable food products. And so I say: ‘low food prices means no hunger’,” he said.

Meanwhile, Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn said that his decision to join the 2013 senatorial race was just a “spur of the moment” decision and he is just “testing the waters” to have an alternative plan after his term expires next year.

He said before he filed his candidacy, former President Joseph Estrada called him to join the UNA senatorial slate but he declined because he is a member of the NPC, which has an existing coalition with the ruling LP.

“I don’t want to give former President Estrada a problem,” he said.

Hagedorn also announced that he has no intention of gong back to local politics in Puerto Princesa and he will be seeking a higher post in the future.

However, he clarified that he still has no plans for the 2016 national election. – Perseus Echeminada