BONG OPEN TO POSSIBLE TANDEM WITH GIBO / CHIZ TOLD TO FOREGO BID
MANILA, NOVEMBER 8, 2009 (STAR) Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. said yesterday he is open to a possible tandem with administration standard-bearer Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.Revilla, who is also from the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD, earlier said he had promised his father, former Sen. Ramon Revilla Sr. that he would not run for vice president and instead seek reelection.
However, Teodoro reportedly kept on calling Revilla even before his nomination as presidential candidate of the administration. Revilla was said to have politely declined the offer many times.
The senator said he was getting confused because people had been egging him on to run for vice president.
“If I will think of myself, where I am sure to win, then I will just run again for senator. There are those who are convincing me to run for vice president but we have to study that very carefully because it will not be easy,” he said.
“And I have a promise to my father, but I am not closing my doors because we are talking about the country here and what we can do to help. But of course I cannot just disregard my word to my father,” Revilla said over radio station dzXL.
He said he was also grateful that many parties were offering to include him in their respective senatorial lineups.
But he admitted that he had planned to run for vice president and had even made the rounds in various parts of the country to see his chances.
His father, however, advised him to wait because he was still young and his time would come.
“But this opportunity came so we would have to see. I will talk again to my father and seek the Lord’s guidance. I’m waiting for a sign whether I will push through (with my vice presidential bid) or run for senator,” Revilla said.
“It is quite difficult to say no to the call to serve the country or turn back from the challenge but I don’t want to be humiliated in the end. I don’t want to talk further. All I can say is that if you ask me now, it’s 50-50,” he said.
Revilla also appealed to the Commission on Elections to allow the showing of his movie in December and not consider it premature campaigning because it’s made for children and definitely not about politics.
By that time, the candidates shall have filed their certificates of candidacies anyway, he said.
Meantime, Malacañang ally and local water utilities administration (LWUA) chairman Prospero Pichay may also find himself in the race for vice president in the 2010 elections as a group of local chief executives is reportedly closing ranks to endorse him. – Aurea Calica, Roel Pareño
Chiz told to forego presidential bid rather than lose (The Philippine Star) Updated November 08, 2009 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - A former colleague of Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero in the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) said yesterday he should abandon his presidential plans or risk losing the race and prematurely ending his political career.
The veteran lawmaker, who requested anonymity, warned that it is useless for Escudero to join the presidential race without any political party to back him up.
“If I were Chiz, I will not run for president anymore. Instead, I will seek re-election in the Senate. With no political machinery to work for him, his chances are slim even as Vice President. He has no field commanders like congressmen, governors, and mayors to campaign for him in the barrios,” he said.
Escudero resigned from NPC last month, shattering earlier expectations that he would be its the standard-bearer.
Meantime, the administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD (Lakas) has closed its doors on Escudero as the running mate of its standard bearer Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro.
“We don’t know where he is going. we can’t adopt him; solo flight siya. Even his former party mates are puzzled about his decision (to bolt the NPC). He’s treading a different path,” Lakas deputy secretary general Reggie Velasco said.
Escudero and Teodoro, aside from being close friends, were former colleagues in the House of Representatives and NPC members. Conjuangco, Teodoro’s uncle, favored Escudero over his nephew to be groomed as the party’s standard-bearer. – With Dino Balabo
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2009 by
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved