MANILA, 23 December 2003 — Action movie king Fernando Poe Jr. accepted yesterday to be the standard bearer of the opposition bloc Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) in the May 10 elections.

And with Sen. Panfilo Lacson vowing to mount a parallel campaign unless an honest-to-goodness selection process is observed to select a single opposition candidate, the race for the country’s next leader looks to be four-cornered.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is currently serving the unfinished term of ousted President Joseph Estrada, is definitely running under the ruling Lakas-CMD party.

Former education secretary Raul Roco, considered the dark horse by political analysts, is running under the so-called “Alliance of Hope,” a coalition of smaller parties.

The coalition of opposition parties had drafted Poe on Dec. 10, in his absence, in a big gathering in a hotel in the Makati business district. In a brief news conference yesterday in a hotel in Pasay City, Poe said he had accepted the nomination.

“I am honored and proud to accept and recognize the offer to be KNP’s presidential standard-bearer,” he said in Filipino.

Poe said he did not want to comment on the parallel effort Lacson to be the opposition’s presidential candidate because the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), the main opposition party that is split between him and Lacson, was set to meet the same day.

The LDP faction of Sen. Edgardo Angara, party chairman and president, supports Poe’s candidacy. Lacson is supported by the LDP faction led by the party’s secretary-general, Rep. Agapito Aquino.

Poe said he was certain Lacson would run for president. Poe also said he would announce his choice for running mate and other candidates running under the opposition coalition next week.

He said among the persons recommended to him as a possible running mate were Senators Loren Legarda, Aquilino Pimentel, Gregorio Honasan and former senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

When asked what qualities he was looking for in a running mate, Poe said he was looking for someone “who could be of great help” to the country. But he said he was still in the process of meeting the prospective candidates.

Poe said he was also fine-tuning his platform of government. “I’m still consulting with different sectors...” he said.

... because I want to make sure that this could be implemented,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English. “And not just make promises.”

He said he was still discussing with his advisers the best time for filing his certificate of candidacy.

Angara earlier said Poe would file on Dec. 29.

When asked what role politicians and political parties would play in his campaign, Poe said that if he succeeded, the role of everyone should be to serve the people and the country.

When pressed on whether he would join a political party, Poe was noncommittal: “As of now, I’m still under a coalition.”

He told radio reporters after the news conference that he was running for president because he was spurred by the people and his supporters to do so.

With Poe were his supporters from such groups as the FPJ for President Movement. Just like when he declared he was running for president on Nov. 26, he did not come with any politician.

Several retired military generals identified with late dictator Ferdinand Marcos attended Poe’s news conference yesterday and said at least 50 former high-level officers supported Poe.

“Poe is the catalyst for unifying this country,” said Jaime Echevarria, a retired brigadier general.

POE’S acceptance of the KPN nomination complicates deposed President Joseph Estrada’s self-imposed task: race against time to forge an acceptable “formula” that will force the opposition to field only one presidential candidate in May.

Estrada said of Poe and Lacson: “I will try my very best to work out a formula that will be acceptable and beneficial to both of them. One of them will have to give in.”

Estrada, titular head of the groups opposing the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, admitted that Poe and Lacson would not only split the votes for the opposition, but split the LDP as well.

“There should be a graceful exit to any of them who will withdraw from the race,” he said. “We are looking for a formula for one of them to slide or withdraw.”

Although detained in a military camp outside Manila while facing plunder and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court, Estrada said he was working on a last-ditch effort to get Lacson and Poe to work together.

Estrada said he met Lacson’s campaign manager, Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, yesterday and was to meet Angara today.