NP-PDP LABAN ALLIANCE MEET CONFIRMED BY DUTERTE CAMP

The reported secret meeting between leaders of the Nacionalista Party (NP) and the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) to explore a possible alliance to back Presidential prospect and Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte indeed took place last week.

Peter Tiu Laviña, former Davao City councilor and newly-designated official spokesman for Mayor Duterte said present during the meeting held in an undisclosed place in Metro Manila were former Senator Manny Villar, his wife Senator Cynthia Villar, PDP-Laban Chairman Emeritus former Senator Aquilino Pimentel, his son Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III and Mayor Duterte.

The meeting discussed a possible alliance between NP and PDP-Laban to support Mayor Duterte's expected bid for the Presidency in 2016.

The alliance, however, has yet to be finalized as Mayor Duterte asked the leaders of the two political parties to give him "a little more time" to "think things over" and sort out some problems which could prevent him from accepting the call for him to be the standard bearer of the two parties, Laviña said.

"The information I received was that nothing was finalized because Mayor Duterte asked for a little more time to think things over," Laviña said.

Mayor Duterte has consistently refused the endorsement for him to run for President citing his lack of financial resources, his age and the opposition of his family.

While he he has been Mayor of a major city in the Southern Philippines for 23 years, Mayor Duterte has led a simple lifestyle preferring to live in a low-cost housing unit in a GSIS-funded housing subdivision in Davao City.

At 70, Duterte's family believes he deserves to take a rest from public service and encourages him to enjoy his retirement.

"The alliance between the two parties would only be finalized if Mayor Duterte finally agrees to run for President," Laviña said.

The final decision of Mayor Duterte is expected to come very soon considering that the deadline for the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy will be by the middle of October, Laviña added.