Press Release
January 16, 2009

KIKO WELCOMES LP MOVE TO OPEN UP NOMINATION PROCESS
FOR STANDARD BEARERS IN 2010

Independent Liberal Party (LP) Senator Kiko Pangilinan welcomed today the move of the party leadership to open up the process of nomination through the democratic consultation and participation of party members and its allies for the selection of its standard bearers and senatorial candidates for the 2010 elections. In a letter to LP chairman Frank Drilon, Kiko urged the party's National Executive Committee to adopt a resolution conducting a consultation process in order to uphold and continue the party's tradition of participatory decision-making amongst party members.

"It is my humble belief that, as a democratic institution, we must open up the selection process to provide the party a wider pool within which we may choose our candidates, and give all our party members a greater, more active role in the selection and nomination of our standard bearers and our Senate ticket," Kiko said.

Earlier, Drilon mentioned several names that are being considered in the LP senatorial slate, including Naga Mayor Jesse Robredo, Isabela Governor Grace Padaca, and Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio. Drilon also declared that Senator Mar Roxas will be the standard bearer of the party.

Kiko is pushing for a reform coalition that will hopefully strengthen and bring together the moral forces of society to challenge the "politics as usual" mindset of national political leaders. He ran as an independent in the 2007 senatorial election amidst the break-up of talks on the formation of a third force composed of legislators from the LP, the Nacionalista Party (NP), and the Wednesday Group.

"A process of consultation on the party's standard bearers and senatorial slate at this point will certainly stimulate the organization and bring in greater interest in our party's engagement in 2010 and beyond," Kiko ended.

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