Militants to announce plans tomorrow

MANILA, Philippines—As their alliance with Senator Manuel Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP) hits a snag, militant party-list groups will make know their plans for the May 2010 election on Tuesday.

Representatives Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna and Liza Maza of Gabriela will lead a news conference at 12 noon in Max’s Restaurant at the Quezon Memorial Circle, according to according to Bayan Muna party-list Representative Teodoro Casino.

Ocampo and Maza will seek a senatorial seat under the Makabayan coalition, composed of left-wing party-list organizations.

Talks with Villar caught a glitch after the presidential bet inked an alliance with the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan’s Ilocos Norte Representative Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who will also run for senator.

Ocampo had said that it would not sit well with his group if he and Maza would run under the same ticket as Marcos. The militants have raised a strong position for the full recovery of the Marcos ill-gotten wealth and compensation for human rights violations during the Marcos dictatorship.

Ocampo has raised the possibility of him and Maza running as independents if talks with Villar will not prosper. But it is also said that the militants could ally with Senator Francis Escudero, who is reportedly planning to seek the vice presidency as an independent following his departure from the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

Ocampo also met with Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III last week, but there was not much progress in the meeting as to their inclusion into the LP’s senatorial slate.

Quezon Representative Lorenzo “Erin” Tanada III, LP spokesman, said talks are still open between the militants and the party, but that it would be Ocampo’s group who would decide in the end.