Ramos deflates sister's bid

Ramos deflates sister's bid

MANILA (AFP): Philippine President Fidel Ramos offered scant support yesterday for his younger sister's bid to become president, denying reports that Leticia Shahani had won endorsement from a faction of the ruling party.

"These so-called recommendations or endorsement are merely, at this stage, inputs into the (selection) procedures" for the Lakas (Strength) Party's standard bearer in May 1998, Ramos told a news conference.

The Lakas-Tao faction of the party said last weekend it was endorsing Senator Shahani, a retired career diplomat, as its candidate in the 1998 polls, saying it considered her to be the person best qualified to pursue her older brother's economic reforms.

"The Lakas-Tao is not a political party, it is a foundation," Ramos said.