November 13, 2009, 5:32pm
Former Optical Media Board Chairman and television host Eduardo “Edu” Manzano Friday accepted the offer to be the vice presidential candidate of the administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD party, ending weeks of speculation as to who will be the running mate of Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro.Teodoro, the administration party’s preferred 2010 standard-bearer, raised Manzano’s hand to affirm his decision to accept the actor as his partner during a press conference in a Makati hotel.
Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, party vice chairman, made the announcement during the press conference, saying that he was authorized by Teodoro to make the offer to Manzano.
Puno, who had announced earlier his desire to run for vice president but later changed his mind, is reportedly set to act as the campaign manager of the Teodoro-Manzano team.
As vice presidential bet, Manzano will be facing an old political nemesis in Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, who has been drafted by former President Joseph Estrada’s Partido ng Masang Pilipino as its vice presidential candidate.
Manzano, a popular TV host, had ran and lost against Binay in the Makati mayoral elections.
His entry doused speculations that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be fielded by the country’s most dominant party as Teodoro’s second.
Aside from Puno, three other Lakas-Kampi stalwarts have declined offers to be Teodoro’s running mate: Senators Ramon Revilla Jr. and Juan Miguel Zubiri and Chairman Bayani Fernando of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
Batangas Governor Rosa Vilma Santos-Recto, with whom Manzano has a son, had also turned down invitations to become Teodoro’s VP bet.
Manzano was recently replaced as host of the popular ABS-CBN quiz show “Game Ka Na Ba?”, a program that used to be hosted by actress Kris Aquino. The actress is the youngest sister of Liberal Party presidential bet Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
Aside from Manzano, another ABS-CBN talent who sought the vice presidential post in the country was Sen. Loren Legarda, who lost her 2004 bid to incumbent Vice President Noli De Castro, also an ABS-CBN talent.
Puno said he felt it his obligation to help Teodoro find a partner because he was also instrumental in pushing for his Cabinet colleague’s nomination as Lakas-Kampi presidential bet.
"I would like to introduce to all of you this morning someone whom Secretary Teodoro has accepted to be his running mate and a person who has accepted the challenge of standing beside Secretary Teodoro in the quest to become the next president of the Republic of the Philippines and him the next vice president of the Republic of the Philippines.
“No other than former OMB chairman Edu Manzano," Puno announced at the press conference.
Teodoro responded by thanking Puno for helping him find a highly-qualified candidate for vice president. The Teodoro-Manzano team will still have to be confirmed at the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party national convention on November 19.
Manzano, who was earlier reported to be eyeing a senatorial post, said he reached a decision to run for vice president only last Thursday although Puno first broached the idea to him several months ago.
In a later interview with cable television station ANC, Manzano said he made the decision after conducting a series of talks with Teodoro.
“After a meeting with Secretary Teodoro, I found out we could harmonize a lot of our ideas and advocacies, and platforms,” Manzano said. “I express my respect for Secretary Teodoro and I believe he possesses all the necessary qualities (to become president)... Siya ang magsusulong ng kinabukasan ng mga Pilipino.”
Manzano said he hopes his collaboration with Lakas-Kampi-CMD would boost the party’s ailing reputation.
“The idea in joining with Secretary Teodoro… we would be able to excite the political arena to the point where in the people would listen to us,” Manzano said.
Asked if he has enough experience in public service to qualify him as vice presidential candidate, Manzano referred to his experience as former OMB chairman. He also served as Makati vice mayor before running against Binay.
“I’ve taken public service for quite a while now and this is what I could take to the office of the vice president,” Manzano said.
Senator Zubiri for his part said the Teodoro-Manzanao tandem is force to reckon with, saying that Manzano has that star appeal that could draw crowds in political campaign. He said Teodoro himself looks like a matinee idol.
Three potential vice presidential candidates in the coming national elections all come Panay Island, Zubiri pointed out.
Manzano is from Iloilo, Legarda of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) is from Antique while Sen. Manuel ‘’Mar’’ Roxas II of the Liberal Party (LP) is from Capiz. Both Roxas and Legarda sent their best regards to Manzano.
‘’Best of luck to Edu in 2010. Welcome to national politics. He is a worthy opponent,’’ Roxas said. ‘’I trust that Filipinos will choose their candidates based on a strong platform for real change.”
A brief statement of Legarda read, ‘’God Bless and Good Luck to Gibo and Edu.’’
But according to Binay’s spokesperson, Lito Anzures, Manzano’s entry as running mate of Teodoro has tainted the actor’s image. (With reports from Mario Casayuran, Kris Bayos and Sam Medenilla)
Source: http://mb.com.ph/articles/229360/edu-enters-vp-race
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