Updated October 24, 2009 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno yesterday announced his withdrawal from the 2010 vice presidential race, saying he was moved by the tragedy that storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng” left.Later in the night, Sen. Loren Legarda, addressing supporters and well-wishers in Manila’s Rizal Park, declared her intention to run for vice president under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).
Puno, in a speech at the opening of a conference on disaster preparedness at Camp Crame, said he would stay in his present post and help the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) prepare for future disasters.
“I do not believe that there are more important things to do than to continue to face the challenges. I would like to announce that I am withdrawing my bid for the vice presidency of the Republic of the Philippines to remain with the people in public service,” he said.
Puno, who is also Kampi chairman, stressed that political pressure was not behind his decision to withdraw from the race.
“I discussed this with friends and family. I really believe that the hardships that I see all over the place are too large to overlook,” he said, emphasizing that there were no pressures on his decision.
“I have felt no change on the position of the party members since our last meeting some weeks past,” he added.
Puno recalled seeing a rubber boat crowded with nine adults and seven children during a rescue operation at the flood-affected areas of Marikina City and said that scene moved him to realize that there were more important things to do than pursue his vice presidential bid.
“At the end of the day, I was just fed up with all of these and decided to focus on what is important,” he said.
“I have been going around the country and the more I move around, the more I see that politics is not on top of the people’s agenda. It is time to put aside our personal ambitions for the welfare of the greater, “ he said.
Puno also dismissed rumors that he is withdrawing from the vice presidential race due to health reasons and a drop in his acceptance rating.
‘Call of the people’
In declaring her bid to once again run for the second highest office of the land, Legarda pointed to her humanitarian work as the main reason for her bid and said she was “heeding the call of the people.”
In an interview with reporters, Legarda said she was running under the NPC banner, dismissing earlier speculations that Puno’s resignation had something to do with her reported team up with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro.
A few minutes after she ended her speech, the middle portion of the 4x6 meter stage gave way, prompting her security escorts to come to her rescue and swiftly bring her to the left side of the stage. Legarda was not hurt.
Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco, former presidential adviser Avelino Razon, Antique Gov. Sally Perez, former Nueva Ecija Gov. Tommy Joson, other representatives of groups from General Santos City, Quezon City, Laguna and other urban poor and Muslim groups attended the program that followed Legarda’s Lingkod Loren outreach mission at the Rizal Monument.
Asked who will be her running mate, Legarda said she is ready to team up with anybody who is ready to work with the same vision she has for the country to move forward economically and through good governance.
“I have outlined by pro-people, pro-country and pro-God agenda… Whoever who can match my platform of government, I am ready to join,” Legarda said in a press conference after the program.
Rep. Cojuangco, for his part, defended the absence of NPC chairman Danding Cojuangco, saying his father need not be present because he has become a “senior statesman” who sees things from a higher point of view.
“He is a senior statesman. Nanood na lang siya (He just watched). My father has done his part for the society,” the congressman said without elaborating.
Puno: No strings attached
Puno shrugged off assumptions that his health was a decisive issue in his withdrawal.
“All rumors of ill-health are just rumors. I will prove my health by going to the various parts of the country. I am perfectly healthy. I have not been bypassed,” he said, adding that there was an increase in his latest acceptance rating.
Puno is confident that his withdrawal from the race will not affect the overall political plan of the ruling coalition for the May 2010 polls.
He said the ruling coalition could easily field a possible running mate of Teodoro.
“I don’t believe that I have the monopoly of experience. There are enough candidates of high quality out there. Naniniwala akong tatanggapin nila ang aking desisyon (I believe they will accept my decision). I wish the party leaders well. I know that they will make the right decisions in the months to come,” he said.
As this developed, Puno, who is also known as an astute political strategist, vowed to remain neutral during the campaign period.
“There is no hidden agenda in withdrawing my bid. I am committing to be non-partisan in the elections,” he said.
Puno said that should he decide to assist any candidate in their campaign for 2010, he would resign as DILG secretary first.
“If ever I will be involved in anybody’s campaign, I will leave my position. In this position, I don’t believe I have the right to go into partisan activities. It is prohibited by law,” he said.
Puno also declined to comment if his withdrawing from the race is part of a plan to draw Sen. Legarda into the ruling coalition.
“I am not involved in the process to bring her to the Lakas-Kampi ticket,” he said.
No cracks in the party
Teodoro, for his part, said he respects Puno’s decision but just the same, he expects the DILG secretary to support and help him.
“First, I respect the decision of Secretary Puno to withdraw from the vice presidential race. I am saddened but the selection process (for vice president) is still ongoing,” he said.
On insinuations that Puno’s withdrawal might create a crack in the administration party, Teodoro said this is very unlikely because the DILG secretary was only thinking what is best for the party.
The withdrawal has opened up talks of Teodoro’s possible tandem with Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla and Legarda, Tourism Secretary Ace Durano and Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto. Revilla is with the ruling party while Legarda and Durano are identified with the NPC.
Teodoro has earlier declared his preference for Puno to be his running mate, but said the new development is now a major issue for the party leadership to decide.
“I am leaving the matter to the party leadership to decide, as I am still thickly involved in my disaster mitigating jobs,” Teodoro, who is also chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Committee (NDCC) said.
Class act of statesmanship
Malacañang praised Puno for his move and immediately launched a search for his replacement as the administration’s vice presidential candidate.
Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio, who is also Lakas-Kampi-CMD secretary-general, said Puno’s withdrawal was a “class act of statesmanship.”
However, he admitted that there were already some names being “mentioned and discussed within the party at all levels” as Teodoro’s possible running mate.
He, however, stressed that none of the possible replacements have been formally proposed before the Lakas-Kampi-CMD leadership.
“Also in the works are strengthening and forging coalitions with other parties,” Claudio told The STAR in a telephone interview.
One such possibility is with the NPC, which is supposedly going to field the tandem of Sen. Francis Escudero and Legarda as presidential and vice presidential candidates.
He said Lakas-Kampi-CMD has many qualified members that could replace Puno as Teodoro’s running mate but there are also those who could be chosen from other parties.
Claudio said Teodoro’s opinion would be given “considerable weight” in the selection of the administration’s vice presidential candidate.
“We’re talking about comfort level here and when both of them (administration presidential and vice presidential candidates) win (in the elections), they will have to work closely together,” he said.
He said some of the possible vice presidential candidates have been informally discussed with Teodoro, who has not yet indicated “any bias or preference for any running mate.”
Claudio said the administration vice presidential candidate as well as its senatorial slate will be announced shortly before the Lakas-Kampi-CMD formalizes the selection of its ticket in a national convention on Nov. 12 in Cebu.
He said it was also possible that the administration would not field a complete senatorial slate in the 2010 elections.
“What’s important is that we field qualified and winnable senatorial candidates who are strong individually and collectively,” he said.
Instead of 12 candidates, the Lakas-Kampi-CMD and its possible coalition partners would field only six or eight, some of whom could be adopted from other parties, he said.
Claudio said among those in the shortlist are Revilla, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando, Federation of Philippine Industries head Jesus Arranza, and one Muslim leader. – With Jaime Laude, Paolo Romero
Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=516993&publicationSubCategoryId=63
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