By Allison Lopez
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 11:35:00 06/05/2009

Filed Under: Politics, Elections, Eleksyon 2010

MANILA, Philippines—United Opposition (UNO) spokesperson Adel Tamano resigned the post Thursday when he joined the Nacionalista Party headed by Sen. Manuel Villar.

Tamano at the same time admitted he was interested in running for a Senate seat in 2010 under the party that counts his late senator-father, Mamintal Tamano, among its more illustrious members.

“My family has deep roots in the Nacionalista Party and part of what I am doing is to honor my late father and continue his work as a Nacionalista,” Tamano said.

He said there had been no falling out between himself and UNO stalwarts, former President Joseph Estrada and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay.

“I joined the NP for two things—because my father, Sen. Mamintal Tamano, was a true-blue Nacionalista, and because it had become very difficult for me to speak on behalf of the opposition. In 2007, it was easy when it was still the Genuine Opposition, but now it had become very difficult for me,” he said in a phone interview.

Tamano was immediately replaced as UNO spokesperson by former Sen. Ernesto Maceda. UNO is composed of Estrada’s Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino and Binay’s PDP-Laban parties.

Tamano, who took his oath Thursday in front of NP president Sen. Manuel Villar, said he was “very nervous” when he went to see Estrada two weeks ago to tell him of his plans. But the opposition leader turned out to be kind and understanding.

“We talked for three hours. He told me that if that was what I had to do, he was not the type to stop me na gawin kung ano raw yung nakakabuti sa akin. Ganun kabait si Presidente (from doing what was right for me. That’s how nice the President is),” he said, adding that he also met with Binay, who gave him some advice.

In a statement, Binay said: “Adel Tamano has the right to join any organization. I just wish him all the luck in his political plans.”

The NP, Tamano said, was the “best fit” for him because its members, who include Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and Cavite Rep. Gilbert Remulla, were his good friends, and he believes that Villar, a former Senate president, is the best bet to lead the country in 2010.

Villar is the declared NP standard-bearer in 2010.

“Of all the people who are ‘presidentiables,’ I feel that Manny Villar is the one I want to become president. He is a success story. It would take someone who has overcome it to help find answers to solving poverty in the Philippines,” he said.

Tamano, the first Muslim Filipino to obtain a masters of law degree with a scholarship to Harvard University, said he would resign from the presidency of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, a job he concurrently holds, before the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy in November.

Aside from Tamano, Villar swore in Arsenic Laurel as a member of the NP in rites held at the historic Laurel House on Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City that Villar had bought from the family early this year.

Laurel, a member of the well-known political clan, will run for representative of the third district of Batangas.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090605-208958/Tamano-quits-UNO-moves-over-to-NP