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Article: The anointed one: the Philippines. (President Fidel Ramos endorses Jose de Venecia to succeed him alienating former defense secretary Renato de Villa)(Asia)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- December 20, 1997
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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MANILA
IN THE Philippines, as elsewhere, an endorsement from the president is one of the biggest boosts a candidate can hope for, especially if he is after the incumbent's job. In 1992, Fidel Ramos was, as the Filipinos say, "anointed" by their president of the day, Corazon Aquino. This helped to give Mr Ramos his victory. With another presidential election due next May, it is now his turn to recommend a successor. His choice has not only given unexpected hope to a rank outsider; it has also given the campaign an entirely new twist.
To general surprise, Mr Ramos has picked Jose de Venecia, the controversial speaker of the House of Representatives, as the ...