A committee selected the members of the First Philippine Mt. Everest Expedition, as well as the two strongest climbers—Leo Oracion and Erwin Emata—who made the reconnaissance climb that was "really scheduled in May," said team leader Art Valdez.

That there was even a reconnaissance climb surprised many because the FPMEE had announced that it would climb Everest next year.

Speculation was rife that the team's schedule was pushed ahead because Romi Garduce, the Philippines' most accomplished mountaineer, had left for Nepal in March for his own journey to Everest's peak.

The speculation was that Garduce's attempt could conceivably make him the first Filipino on Everest—a feat for which the FPMEE had been preparing the past two years.

The "network war" angle also added fuel to the fire, with GMA 7, a main sponsor of Garduce's climb, and ABS-CBN the "broadcast partner" of the FPMEE.

Thus, while the three mountaineers were fighting anxiety, exhaustion, the cold, and the pressure to accomplish their mission on Everest, the talk at home was that the climb had turned into a race among Filipinos.

Valdez, however, said there was no such thing.

He said it was a choice between "sending at least eight people without experience to Everest" and "sending the strongest climbers for the whole team to gain more confidence for the 2007 climb."

The FPMEE decided to send Oracion and Emata.

"Romi had been telegraphing his punches. I knew he was going to climb," Valdez said, adding that Oracion and Emata had been making acclimatization climbs since February.

Valdez reiterated that "the Philippine expedition to Everest would not be complete without Romi, and his coming back to Base Camp safely."

Oracion said he met Garduce on his descent.

"Romi congratulated me, and I wished him well and told him to take care of himself on his own assault," Oracion said.