3 incumbent senators in NP senatorial slate

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Manny Villar's Nacionalista Party (NP) on Sunday revealed its senatorial bets for 2010 which included three incumbent senators.

The NP identified nine of its senatorial bets as Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., and Pia Cayetano, Ilocos Norte Representative Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Colonel Ariel Querubin.

Lawyer Adel Tamano, former labor undersecretary Susan "Toots" Ople, Gwendolyn Pimentel (daughter of Senator Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr.), and Ramon "Mon-Mon" Mitra (son of the late Speaker Ramon Mitra).

Mitra was the latest recruit of NP. He took his oath with NP this Sunday morning, or just hours before the party’s scheduled 5 p.m. proclamation rally in Moriones, Tondo.

The list was still short of three to complete the ticket.

But NP spokesman Gilbert Remulla said the two slots will be reserved for Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and Gabriela Women's Partylist Rep. Liza Maza, who filed their certificates of candidacy as independent candidates.

“We are leaving two slots in our senatorial slate for the possible entry of adopted candidates Ka Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza,” Remulla said in a statement.

The remaining slot, he said, will be reserved for another possible guest candidate, whom he refused to identify.

Remulla described the NP ticket as a mix of "achievers, movers, and shakers in diverse fields of endeavors and interests.”