02 Jul 2009
Bongbong to seek Senate seat in 2010 polls, say Imelda and Imee
by JOEY A. GABIETA

TACLOBAN CITY - Fourteen years after of his failed senatorial bid, the only son and namesake of former President Ferdinand Marcos would try again to seek a Senate seat.

Bongbong's mother Imelda and sister Imee, who both said that his election as a senator would benefit not only Ilocos Region but Eastern Visayas as well, separately confirmed this.

The former first lady said that with the plan of her son, who is now representing the second district of Ilocos Norte, to take a second crack at the Senate seat, she would help on his campaign.

The Marcos widow said that with Bongbong at the Senate, Ilocos Norte would not only gain a senator but even Eastern Visayas which has yet to produce a senator in more than three decades.

Imee also revealed during a separate interview the political plans of her brother.

"Well, he is planning to run for the Senate. He is seriously mulling about it," Imee, who was in the city to join Tacloban's 120th fiesta, said.

During the 1995 elections, Bongbong ran but lost during his first Senate try allegedly due to "dagdag-bawas" scheme. At present, he is a member of the House of Representatives representing Ilocos Norte's second congressional district.

Imee said she has no political plan in relation to the 2010 elections, describing herself as "retired" from politics and insisting that she is now into animation and indie filmmaking.

The eldest daughter of Marcos, who ruled the country for 20 years, said that the family is hopeful that what happened to her brother in the 1995 elections would no longer take place.

"Iba na ang panahon ngayon," she said.

As to what political party her brother would join for his second attempt for a Senate seat, Imee could not say yet.

However, Imee hinted that Bongbong might join the Nacionalista Party whose presumptive standard-bearer, Senator Manny Villar, was invited as among the guests of the Sangyaw Festival, one of the highlights of the city fiesta.

Villar was described by Imee as a "friend," adding that the Nacionalista Party was once the political party of her father before he formed the monolithic Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL).

Asked if the family is supporting the presidential bid of the former Senate President, Imee said that they have yet to determine who among the presidentiables they would support.

"But he is a friend and he is a Nacionalista," she said.

But her cousin and Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez announced his support on Villar's 2010 ambition before the more than 1,000 barangay officials of the city during the Tuesday meeting held at the Balyu-an Ampitheater.

He said that his support on the presidential bid of Villar stemmed from his being a Nacionalista, citing that Leyte has been once a strong bailiwick of the party.


Source:
http://leytesamardaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7574&Itemid=233