‘LP, NP must decide on alliance’

MANILA, Philippines - The Liberal Party (LP) and the Nacionalista Party (NP) would have to decide if they want to continue with their alliance before the start of the campaign for the 2016 elections, Sen. Cynthia Villar said Wednesday.

With the two parties most likely fielding their respective candidates for president in the 2016 elections, there is a strong possibility that the alliance forged last year would break up.

Villar, wife of NP head and former Senate president Manuel Villar Jr., said the NP and LP have not yet discussed the issue as both sides believe it is still too early to make any decision.

The leadership of the LP has stated on numerous occasions that Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II would be its presidential candidate for the 2016 elections.

On the part of the NP, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano has expressed interest to make a bid for the presidency.

Apart from Cayetano, the NP also has two more senators whose names have cropped up as possible candidates for the presidency or vice presidency, namely Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Antonio Trillanes IV.

“We don’t have any problems with the LP now but 2016 is a different matter,” Villar said. “I think before 2016 there would be a review if they want to continue with the coalition, if they want to be on their own or if they want to coalesce with somebody else,” she said.