UNO spokesman quits, joins Villar party
By Thea Alberto
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:44:00 06/04/2009

Filed Under: Eleksyon 2010, Elections, Politics

MANILA, Philippines – The spokesman of the United Opposition (UNO) has bolted the coalition and joined the Nacionalista Party (NP) as he threw his support for NP President Manuel Villar’s presidential bid in 2010.

Lawyer Adel Tamano, who intends to run for Senator in 2010, took his oath before Villar on Thursday.

“My father, the late Senator Tamano is a founder of Nacionalista Party. To honor his memory I joined the party” said Tamano.

“I think Manny Villar is the man to beat… the biggest reason is this man was able to rise from poverty, the country's biggest problem. And it will take someone who has experience and who can find solutions for poverty,” he added.

Villar said Tamano would be a great asset to the NP. He said the NP was open to other candidates who wanted to join the party.

He said many mayors joined the NP last month.

Tamano said former president Joseph Estrada and UNO president Jejomar Binay accepted his decision to transfer to Villar’s party.

“Nagpaalam ako ng maayos kay Erap [I bade Estrada goodbye] and we talked for three hours. He respected my decision,” he said.

“Now I can speak as Adel Tamano and not just a spokesman” he added.

Earlier in the day, Binay said he was saddened by Tamano's decision.

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