MANILA, Philippines - Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita is expected to lead the exodus of officials from the Cabinet in the coming days to run for various national and local posts in next year’s elections.Ermita, who will relinquish his post as president of Lakas-Kampi-CMD today, also announced that the ruling party will field a “compact” senatorial slate of less than the expected 12 candidates.
Leading the senatorial slate are Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Lito Lapid, Binalonan Mayor and League of Municipalities of the Philippines president Mayor Ramon Guico, Secretary to the Cabinet Silvestre Bello, Health Secretary Francisco Duque, Federation of Philippine Industries’ Jesus Arranza, and broadcaster Rey Langit.
Ermita, however, said there is still a possibility that the number could increase if others invited to the slate would join or candidates of other parties are adopted.
Sarangani Gov. Miguel Dominguez will replace Ermita as party president.
Ermita said he and Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio counted some 15 Cabinet members who are expected to resign on or before the deadline of the filing of their certificates of candidacies on Dec. 1.
Claudio will also resign today as the ruling party’s secretary-general and will be replaced by Francis Manglapus, son of former foreign secretary Raul Manglapus.
Ermita said his daughter, Batangas Rep. Eileen Ermita-Buhain, is already serving her third and last term at the House of Representatives and it’s either he or his youngest daughter Liza who would run for her congressional seat.
“So either somebody in the family or myself will return to my district. Now, remember, all politics is local and I think if you feel we can still give contribution to the national effort, I may – at the last minute – consider running again in my district because that is my base and I will not be anywhere, if I were not an elected official, after my stint here. So I am considering going back to the district,” he told a news briefing at the Palace.
Ermita said he would recommend Press Secretary Cerge Remonde to replace him as executive secretary in a concurrent capacity.
“But, of course, in the end it’s the President’s choice because the President has a lot of good people around her that can help her,” he said about possible replacements for resigning Cabinet officials.
Among the Cabinet officials expected to resign are Cabinet Secretary Bello and Health Secretary Duque, who are running for senator under Lakas-Kampi-CMD; Presidential Management Staff chief Hermogenes Esperon, a congressional seat in the 6th district of Pangasinan; Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando, who is either running for president or senator; Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez, for mayor in Iloilo City (Lakas-Kampi-CMD); Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, for senator under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC); Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, for mayor in Taguig City; Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, for a seat in the 3rd district of Tarlac (NPC); Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. for a seat in the 1st district of Camarines Sur under the Liberal Party; Technical Education and Skills Development Authority chairman Augusto Syjuco Jr. for a seat in the 2nd district in Iloilo (Lakas-Kampi CMD); Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap for the 3rd district in Bohol (Lakas-Kampi CMD); Environment Secretary Joselito Atienza for Manila mayor (Liberal Party); Deputy National Security Adviser Luis Singson for governor in Ilocos Sur (Lakas-Kampi CMD); Land Transportation Office chairman Arturo Lomibao for the 2nd district in Pangasinan; and Press Undersecretary Anthony Golez, for congressman in Bacolod City (NPC).
Other Cabinet officials who earlier resigned for next year’s elections are Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer former defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro; former National Economic and Development Authority director general Ralph Recto, to run for senator under the LP; former presidential peace adviser Avelino Razon Jr., for Manila mayor under NPC; and former Public Works chief Hermogenes Ebdane who expressed intention to run for president.
Ermita said Finance Secretary Margarito Teves was invited to join the Senate slate but he declined. The same is true with Dangerous Drugs Board chairman Vicente Sotto III.
He also denied that prospective senatorial candidates were shying away from Lakas-Kampi-CMD because of the unpopularity of the administration.
Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral denied that she will run for senator and assured the public that she will return to her private medical practice despite strong clamor for her to run in the May 2010 polls.
Cabral admitted that she is being convinced by several political leaders and supporters to run in next year’s senatorial elections.
“Thanks but no thanks. I will not run. I am not a politician. Just thinking of it I get tired already,” Cabral said in a press conference at the Lancaster Hotel in Mandaluyong City.
Cabral, a cardiologist, is a former director of the Philippine Heart Center.
“I am heartened by the invitation from a large number of people coming from all political persuasions to run for public office. But I have decided after serious thought that running for public office is not a priority at this time. I am happy serving the public as secretary of the DSWD and I will continue to perform as such until I am fired by the President or her term expires,” Cabral said. “That is my plan, go back to private practice.” – Paolo Romero, Helen Flores
Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=524689&publicationSubCategoryId=63
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