After Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno announced on Friday he is no longer running for vice president in 2010, a Malacañang official said Saturday that the administration party is still looking for someone to fill the position.Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said there are efforts by the administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD to look for a running mate for Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
“There is an effort to look for a vice presidential candidate for Sec. Teodoro. That’s as much I can tell you," Ermita said on government-run dzRB radio, when asked if the administration is in talks with Senator Loren Legarda, who reportedly shut her doors to teaming up with Secretary Teodoro.
Ermita refused to give further details, but said the administration coalition will likely be ready with a list for its national convention scheduled for November.
On Friday, Secretary Puno announced he had decided not to participate in the 2010 elections anymore. [See: DILG chief Puno gives up VP ambitions]
“We continue to search for a vice presidential candidate for our chosen presidential candidate, Sec. Teodoro. And we will be prepared with the list with that vice president for the national convention we will be having early next month," Ermita said.
He also said the selection will be “deliberate," saying they will “go countrywide and find the ideal candidate for Sec. Teodoro."
Also, Ermita denied claims that Puno was pressured to drop out of the race because administration allies wanted Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos to be Teodoro’s running mate.
“There’s no truth to that. In the first place, somebody told me I think it was Gabby (Claudio) who told me walang definite about Vilma talaga (it was presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio who told me there was nothing definite about Vilma)," he said.
Exodus to NP?
Meanwhile, Ermita laughed off the claim of Sen. Manuel Villar Jr.’s Nacionalista Party that many administration allies are defecting to the NP.
He said there are many groups in the provinces who are taking their oaths as new recruits of Lakas-Kampi-CMD.
Ermita said that on Friday, 100 leaders of Quezon province “gathered" by Rep. Danilo Suarez – who hosted an expensive dinner for Mrs. Arroyo and her entourage in the United States – took their oaths as Lakas-Kampi-CMD members.
“On Tuesday and Wednesday there will be hundreds of leaders from Tarlac and also from Northern Samar. Susunod ang sa Batangas at Cavite. Mas marami ang may exodus (After Tarlac and Northern Samar, leaders from Batangas and Cavite will pledge allegiance to us. So
there is also an exodus for us)," he said.
He said the exodus can be partially due to the Commission on Elections’ decision to affirm the accreditation of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, and denying the petition of former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. to question it.
Petition vs Erap
Ermita likewise laughed off claims from the camp of former President Joseph Estrada that the administration is lining up petitions questioning his eligibility because it is scared of the opposition.
He said the Palace already made it clear that while the issue will be decided at the judicial level, it does not mean the Palace will head efforts to question Estrada.
“We are not afraid of anything, this is a free country," he said. - GMANews.TV
Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/175451/malacantildeang-still-looking-for-vice-presidential-bet-in-2010
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