Lakas-Kampi picks Teodoro as 2010 standard bearer

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. was selected on Wednesday to be the standard bearer in 2010 of the ruling Lakas-Kampi (Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino)-CMD party.

Teodoro won by a landslide against Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair Bayani Fernando, who walked out of the party’s national executive committee meeting after his motion to defer the voting was rejected.

In announcing the decision, presidential political adviser and party secretary-general Gabriel Claudio noted that Teodoro and Fernando were both worthy presidential aspirants.

"In the end, however, one man alone had to be chosen and the standard bearer to lead the party in the election for 2010…The candidate of Lakas-Kampi-CMD for the 2010 presidential elections, as endorsed by the party national executive committee is the honorable Gilberto Teodoro Jr.," Claudio said.

Claudio said Teodoro’s selection is subject to the ratification by the party’s national convention.

Radio dzBB’s Denver Trinidad quoted a party official as saying that the voting results were 44-5 in favor of Teodoro. The official declined to be named.

House Speaker and party executive vice chairman Prospero Nograles said Teodoro “has the support of the biggest political party with about 3,000 elected officials nationwide."

Sought for comment, Fernando’s camp remained mum. “I’m sorry, we have no statement at this time," said Gina Virtusio, Fernando’s close aide.

Party vice president for membership and recruitment Prospero Pichay Jr. said Teodoro was selected by the committee through secret voting.

“Iyon ang napagkasunduan, secret balloting (We agreed that we will conduct a secret balloting)," Pichay told reporters.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno is also poised to become the administration party’s vice presidential bet as he is the only one who has expressed desire to run for the post, Claudio said.

Performance in surveys

Teodoro had fared dismally in recent surveys on most preferred presidential bets.

In Pulse Asia’s s latest survey, Teodoro ranked 13th among 15 prospective presidential candidates. Only 0.2 percent said they would vote for the defense chief if the elections were held now.



Last week, the results of a new Social Weather Stations survey showed that among Luzon voters, Senator Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III was the top presidential choice in next year's national elections with a 50-percent vote.

Those who had been constant frontrunners on surveys include Senator Manuel Villar Jr., former President Joseph Estrada, and Vice President Noli de Castro.

Earlier in the day, De Castro said he would not run under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD banner in 2010.

"I’m not one of their candidates anymore," De Castro said in a chance interview with reporters at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City.

Asked if he would now join other political parties, De Castro replied: "Wala akong sinasabing ganoon (I’m not saying anything like that).