Teodoro, Villar top House mock elections

By BEN R. ROSARIO
October 14, 2009, 3:51pm


Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, preferred presidential bet of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD, emerged the runaway winner in the mock elections participated in by members of the House of Representatives, getting more votes than all of those garnered by other presidential hopefuls combined.

Of the 153 congressmen who participated in the two-day mock polls organized by 36 of 41 regular congressional reporters, a total 90 or 58.8 percent of the voters chose Teodoro as their candidate for president.

Senator Manuel Villar placed second with 25 votes while Senator Francis Escudero got 20 votes to rank third.

Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, a consistent popular poll survey winner, received only seven votes but was good for the fourth place. Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno emerged the vice presidential favorite and won 55 votes.

Political analyst Ramon Casiple, chairman of the Consortium on Electoral Reforms, said Teodoro’s convincing victory is an indication that he will closely contest the 2010 presidential race with Aquino, who has chalked huge leads in a number of popular surveys conducted recently.

“This may be a classic battle between Teodoro and Aquino but there is a big possibility that it will be a three-cornered fight,” Casiple said as he noted that Villar also received backing in the Lower House.

Others who received votes opposite their names as presidential bets were Senator Richard Gordon, 4; former President Joseph Estrada, 2; and Vice President Noli de Castro, Public Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane and Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando, one vote apiece.

Speaker Prospero Nograles, who was not in the list of candidates, received one vote.

Those who received votes among the possible vice presidential bets were Sen. Loren Legarda, 21; Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas, 18; Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, 13 and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, 11, and Sen. Jamby Madrigal, 1.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, businessman Manuel Pangilinan, and Villar whose names were not in the list of vice presidential candidates, received one vote each.


Source: http://mb.com.ph/articles/224673/teodoro-villar-top-house-mock-elections