Legarda accepts nomination as Poe running mate

Senator Loren Legarda has formally accepted a nomination by the united opposition to be the vice presidential running mate to actor-turned-politician Fernando Poe Jr in the May elections.

In a press conference yesterday, Legarda said in her acceptance speech that she "cannot shun the responsibility and challenge of serving in a higher office".

Legarda is currently serving the third year as senator after she was voted to a six year term in 2001.

The former broadcast journalist had bolted out of the Arroyo-allied Liberal Party in November to run as an independent but on Wednesday, campaign managers of Poe said the main opposition alliance, the Coalition of United Filipinos or KNP had offered Legarda to run for vice president under the popular actor's ticket.

"The issues we are raising are the same issues he (Poe) prioritises," Legarda said. "We will sit down and thrash (out) all these details," she added.

Legarda's decision sealed a fight for the vice presidency with fellow broadcast journalist-tuned politician Noli De Castro, a senator whom he worked together with under the ABS-CBN network.

The acceptance by Legarda of KNP's offer came four days after de Castro shocked political observers with his decision to accept the ruling Lakas Christian-Muslim Democratic Party's draft as incumbent President Gloria Arroyo's running mate.

De Castro, who was made popular by his 15-year-old television programme 'Good Evening People' had figured strongly and even topped recent surveys on candidates likely to be voted president in May.

Both de Castro and Legarda has strong following in far flung areas of the country owing to the wide network of ABS-CBN which has television stations in remote parts of the Philippines as well as satellite broadcasts in countries where there are large concentrations of overseas Filipinos.

At least 700,000 Filipinos living and working overseas have registered for the absentee vote in May and will be able to choose for the first time their country's next set of national leaders. Poe is expected to formally announce the KNP's senatorial line up this year.

Meanwhile Oscar Orbos, a former congressman-turned-television talk show host had refused an invitation to be included in Poe's senatorial ticket. He said his refusal to run in the 2004 elections was a family decision.

Former Senate president Ernesto Maceda, meanwhile, said former senator Ernesto Herrera has refused to join the senatorial line-up of the Lakas-CMD.

Maceda said Herrera is one of the 15 individuals being eyed by the KNP as Poe's senatorial bets. He said the KNP has included Vice President Teofisto Guingona in the line-up.