Ramos rival to run for Senate

Ramos rival to run for Senate

MANILA (Reuter): The woman defeated by President Fidel Ramos in 1992 elections said yesterday she would run for the Philippine Senate at the head of her own political party.

Miriam Defensor Santiago, whose protest against the victory of Ramos is still pending at the Supreme Court, said in a statement her People's Reform Party would probably field six candidates in the race for the 12 Senate seats at stake.

"I am running for two reasons. The first is to preserve our democracy by ensuring the continued survival of the political opposition," she said.

"The second is to proclaim the Christian faith through political action determined to fight graft and corruption and to make a preferential option for the poor," she said.

A cabinet minister under former president Corazon Aquino, Santiago became famous for stinging attacks on corruption in government.