Who's Gibo's VP? It's a choice among Bong, Edu, Ace, Loren

SOPHIA M. DEDACE, GMANews.TV
11/04/2009 | 03:40 PM


Two male stars, an equally good-looking tourism official, and a "prodigal daughter." One of them could add luster to the candidacy of Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. by becoming the running mate of the administration party's top bet, who remains lagging in presidential preference surveys.

Party president Eduardo Ermita has confirmed reports that Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., television host Edu Manzano, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, and Senator Loren Legarda, are among those being considered as the vice presidential bet of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party.

“Ace Durano, that’s correct. Si Edu Manzano was mentioned also. Revilla, Ace, Edu," Ermita confirmed to reporters on Wednesday during a press briefing in Malacañang.

However, Revilla earlier expressed reluctance to run for vice president. Last March, Revilla said that his ailing father, former Sen. Ramon Revilla Sr., discouraged him from seeking the second highest post in the land because he could be risking his political career.

No word yet from Manzano's camp. The actor, who resigned as chair of the Optical Media Board last August, is also being considered as among the senatorial bets of the United Opposition.

The chances of Teodoro pairing up with Durano, meanwhile, are unclear, as Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) spokesman Rex Gatchalian said earlier in the day that Durano is part of their senatorial slate.

Durano, who has been serving the Arroyo Cabinet for several years now, was the spokesperson of the ruling party in the 2007 elections. He was appointed as acting general manager of the Philippine Tourism Authority in May 2008. He served as representative of Cebu’s fifth district, the bailiwick of his family, from 1998 to 2004.


Prodigal daughter

Ermita said the ruling party was also considering Legarda as Teodoro’s running mate, adding that the administration was ready to welcome back its "prodigal daughter."

Legarda sought a senatorial seat in 1998 under the administration’s Lakas-NUCD-UMDP party. She received the most votes (more than 15 million) in the race.

In the impeachment trial against former President Joseph Estrada at the Senate in January 2001, Legarda was among those who voted “yes" to open the controversial “second envelope" containing supposed evidence showing Estrada held a secret P3.3 billion bank account under the name “Jose Velarde."

However, in 2004, Legarda shifted loyalty to the opposition, and became the running mate of actor Fernando Poe Jr. in the national elections. The tandem lost to administration bets President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and then Senator Noli de Castro.

In 2007, Legarda remained with the opposition and ran as as second-term senator. She became the front runner in the race, receiving more than 18 million votes.

Despite the perceived turncoatism, Legarda is still regarded as an asset of the administration. Ermita said Lakas-Kampi-CMD "is very serious" in forging a coalition with the Nationalist People’s Coalition, the party that will field Legarda as its vice presidential bet.

“Kung saan inaakala na mananalo siya at magagawa niya ang kaniyang gagawin, yun ang napakahalaga (What’s more important is where we think she could win and continue her endeavors)," said Ermita. - GMANews.TV


Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/176280/whos-gibos-vp-its-a-choice-among-bong-edu-ace-loren