‘UNA is constructive opposition’

MANILA, Philippines - Former President Joseph Estrada and Vice President Jejomar Binay declared yesterday that their party, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), is the new kind of constructive opposition.

In yesterday’s weekly Kapihan sa Diamond Hotel in Manila, Estrada said UNA would support policies of the Aquino government that serve the interest of the people.

“We are constructive. We will support policies for the best interest of the people. If they will do the right thing, we will support them,” Estrada said in reaction to statements made by presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda that UNA is not a collaborative opposition.

Estrada said UNA would act as fiscalizer should the government fail to uphold the welfare of the people.

For his part, Binay said UNA is introducing a new kind of politics.

“Not all the things that the administration is doing are wrong. We will support the right thing that they do. We will make suggestions on what they are lacking. We will reveal the wrong things that they are doing. This is what I mean when I say we are introducing new politics, politics of constructive opposition,” he said.

This developed as UNA’s three-man executive committee – Binay, Estrada and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile – are set to meet next week to decide on the fate of their common candidates with Team PNoy, senators Loren Legarda, Francis Escudero and former Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chairman Grace Poe-Llamanzares.

Estrada said the Liberal  Party (LP) should be fair and allow the three common candidates to join UNA rallies.

He said Legarda and Llamanzares both sent representatives to UNA’s proclamation night in Cebu.

“That was appreciated by the members of UNA. Being a common candidate, they should be fair. It is unfair if they will just attend in LP. The other candidates might say they are killing themselves in joining  UNA’s rally, but then they are not joining us. That is unfair,” he said.

The former president said LP knows they have common candidates.

“If they will not allow them to attend to us, UNA voters will be disheartened. We will meet next and we will decide,” he said.  Meanwhile, UNA secretary-general and campaign manager Toby Tiangco said their senatorial candidates would resume their campaign sorties in Pampanga and Zambales on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

Pampanga is the bailiwick of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a staunch ally of UNA senatorial candidate Mitos Magsaysay.

UNA’s senatorial candidates will leave Manila for Angeles City in Pampanga at 6 a.m. and will gather at the Marquee Mall where a motorcade will follow. They will have a boodle fight for breakfast at the Angeles City public market, which will be followed by a mini-rally.

At 10:30 a.m., they will proceed to Mabalacat City for a motorcade and mini-rally at the Mauague resettlement area before heading to Magalang, Pampanga where a motorcade will also be conducted.

Another mini-rally will be held in front of the Magalang municipal hall at 3 p.m. before the candidates proceed to San Fernando City, Pampanga.

UNA’s last stop in Pampanga is in Sto. Nio Triangle, San Fernando City where they will again hold a mini-rally.

The senatorial candidates have their respective schedules from Friday to Sunday, and will temporarily campaign separately across the country.