Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 02:16:00 10/24/2009
Filed Under: Politics, Inquirer Politics, Eleksyon 2010
MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno’s withdrawal from consideration for his party’s vice-presidential nomination left the field open for the recruitment of either Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos or Sen. Loren Legarda into the Lakas-Kampi-CMD 2010 national ticket.Following Puno’s announcement, leading ruling party officials confirmed that there have been informal talks to convince Santos, a popular movie star, and Legarda to become the running mate of Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, the ruling party’s presumptive presidential standard bearer.
Puno on Friday opted to drop out of the vice-presidential race, saying he wanted to focus on the rehabilitation of the areas ravaged by Typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng.”
“There will be no more talk about any candidacies of any sort. I will dedicate myself in the remaining months in the presidency of President Macapagal-Arroyo to serving our people in the way I know best,” he told some 300 local executives and police officials attending a disaster preparedness forum at Camp Crame.
Teodoro himself disclosed that aside from Legarda and Santos, the Lakas-Kampi-CMD was also considering another figure whom he declined to identify.
Prospero Pichay, Lakas-Kampi-CMD vice president for accreditation, said Legarda could become Teodoro’s running mate if her party, the Nationalist People’s Coalition, agrees to coalesce with the ruling party.
He said it wouldn’t be difficult to convince Santos even if her husband, Ralph Recto, is a close friend of presidential aspirant Sen. Manuel Villar Jr.
“Remember Vi is still a Lakas-Kampi member,” he said.
Pichay said some party members had been holding informal talks with Santos and Legarda, “on their own.”
“This is not sanctioned by the party,” he said.
To enhance Teodoro’s chances
Reginald Velasco, Lakas-Kampi deputy secretary general, said the party was looking for someone to provide a boost to Teodoro in terms of popularity and experience.
“We believe that Legarda and Santos would enhance Teodoro’s chances,” he said.
“Either of them will make a good VP,” Pichay said. “If any of them decides to become the running mate, that will make a good balance. If they win, both will be sensitive to the needs of men and women.”
In a 12-minute speech, Puno said he realized that he was “fed up with politics” during his numerous visits to flood-stricken communities.
“I don’t think that I have any more patience with that kind of activity right now. I prefer to set that aside and deal with more important things,” he said.
“The hardships that I have seen are just too immense and too large to overlook and it pains me when I talk politics in the middle of so much misery,” he said.
He also doused rumors that his decision was an offshoot of purported infighting within the ruling coalition and supposed disagreements with Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.
He denied that failing health was the reason for his decision.
“I know that there have been many rumors about that, but none of them are true,” he said.
Rumors about Puno undergoing a bypass operation for his heart ailment spread after his return from a recent US vacation.
Non-partisan DILG
Puno said he was “perfectly healthy” and that he would go around flood-damaged villages in the coming weeks “to show my good health.”
Nor did he consult with Ms Arroyo or other Cabinet officials about his decision to withdraw.
“I have not talked to the President directly about it, but I would assume that the ones that I talked to have informed her,” he said.
“I talked about it with my family and close friends,” he said, adding that not even senior DILG officials knew of his plans.
Puno stressed that he would remain with the DILG until the end of Ms Arroyo’s term and vowed to make his department “non-partisan” in the run-up to the 2010 elections.
He declined to answer questions regarding how his withdrawal would affect the ruling party, saying he was leaving all political decisions to the party’s leadership.
Puno, who chairs Ms Arroyo’s Kampi party, said he was not keen about supporting any candidate seeking the presidency, even Teodoro.
“I will resign my position first before I actively campaign for any candidate,” said Puno, an experienced political and election strategist who is credited for the electoral victories of at least three presidents.
Giving way to Legarda?
He downplayed reports that he gave up his vice-presidential ambitions to support Legarda. Puno is reported to have opened the possibility of Legarda’s joining Lakas-Kampi-CMD when he met with the senator a month ago. He is said to have told Legarda, a member of the NPC, that he would give way if she joins the ruling party.
Pichay said he doubted that Puno’s withdrawal was prompted by statements that other candidates, like Santos or Legarda, were being eyed to be Teodoro’s running mate.
“He’s a good sport. I’m sure it’s not because of that,” he said.
But he welcomed Puno’s decision. “Now he can campaign for the presidential candidate. He’s better off as a campaigner rather than as a candidate,” he said.
Gabriel Claudio, Lakas-Kampi-CMD secretary general, said the talks with prospective vice-presidential candidates were not confined to Legarda and Santos, but declined to identify them.
“More were being considered. The governors and congressmen have their own nominees. That’s being tackled. Before the Nov. 12 [convention], that will become clear,” he said.
He said incumbent officials have the edge, and that Teodoro himself will have a say on the choice of his running mate.
“The party has a preference for an incumbent official or somebody who has at least served in government, and has experience and track record,” he said.
Velasco said some members had nominated Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. but the movie actor preferred to seek re-election.
There is also Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair Bayani Fernando, a presidential aspirant who lost out to Teodoro in the voting by the party’s national executive committee last month.
The party will definitely have a vice president by Nov. 30, the deadline for the filing of candidacies for 2010, Velasco said.
“We will not be credible if we don’t come up with our own bets for president and vice president,” he said.
Teodoro counting on support
Teodoro, who has been quite vocal about how comfortable he felt about running with Puno, said he expects he could still count on Puno’s support.
“It’s unfortunate but I respect his decision and I am still banking on his help in the elections,” he said.
Teodoro earlier said he and Puno would make a good show of it in 2010 because they shared the same understanding of security issues.
“But since he withdrew from the race, we will have to look for another but I can still expect help from him,” said Teodoro.
He said he was leaving it up to the party to make the choice as he was still occupied with the enormous work of reconstruction and rehabilitation from the devastation of the recent typhoons as the chief of the National Disaster Coordinating Council. With Jocelyn R. Uy
Source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20091024-231953/Puno-quits-ruling-party-in-talks--with-Legarda-Vilma-Santos
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