MANILA, Philippines – The Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) is eyeing broadcast journalist Ted Failon to be one of its senatorial candidates in the 2019 elections.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, a senior NPC member and adviser, revealed this in a Rappler Talk interview on Tuesday, May 22.
“We’re thinking also, if Ted Failon agrees, we will support him,” Sotto said.
Failon, whose real name is Mario Teodoro Failon Etong, ran and won in 2001 as Leyte 1st district representative.
He only served one term, from 2001 to 2004, and returned to ABS-CBN after. He currently hosts television and radio shows.
In August 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte conferred the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) Pillars of Criminal Justice System Major Award for Anti-Corruption Campaign to Failon for his TV program during the 19th founding anniversary of the pro-Duterte group.
Sotto said the NPC had decided to support a coalition of candidates, which they would finalize soon.
He reiterated the names that the NPC had so far agreed to support, including the 6 reelectionist senators from the majority bloc: Aquilino Pimentel III, Juan Edgardo Angara, Nancy Binay, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Grace Poe, and Cynthia Villar.
He said they were also considering Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, but no final decision had been reached.
Also eyed to be included in the NPC's list were former senators Lito Lapid, Jinggoy Estrada and Taguig Representative Pia Cayetano, as well as Special Assistant to the President Bong Go and Davao Mayor Sara Duterte should they decide to run.
NPC is the second largest political party and was founded in 1992 by former ambassador and then-presidential candidate Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco. (READ: Danding Cojuangco returns as NPC chairman ahead of 2019 elections) – Rappler.com
