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Lakas-CMD sets Jan 29 meet to pick 2010 standard bearer


MANILA, Philippines - Members of the ruling political party Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrat (Lakas-CMD) will hold a caucus next week to pick the party's standard bearer in the 2010 presidential elections, former President Fidel Ramos disclosed Tuesday. In a chance interview, Ramos - who is also chairman emeritus and co-founder of Lakas - said the party will meet on January 29 at Clark Field, Pampanga to discuss the matter. "Pag-uusapan pa sa (Jan.) 29 [we will talk about that on Jan. 29]. I'll be there sa [in] Clark," he said. Last year, the party has tried to woo Vice-President Noli de Castro to become the party’s standard bearer but De Castro repeatedly rejected the invitation saying it was “too early" to decide on the matter. Earlier this year, Lakas executive director Ray Roquero said party leaders have also been pushing for Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla to become the party's bet but Revilla pushed aside the invitation for the same reason. During the interview, Ramos advised the "seven" presidentiables - whom he did not name - to be "wise and logical" in pushing through with their ambition as seven contenders are too many against the one candidate that the administration will choose. "Look at the logic and mathematics of it if you go against one administration candidate team of president and vice president. This is what happened in 2004 when - I will not name names anymore but one is a famous movie star, the other is from Cavite - could not agree on who should slide down to the vice presidency, and what happened? They both lost. But if you add up their combined votes, it may have exceeded the difference between President GMA and the next highest presidential candidate," Ramos said, apparently referring to the late Fernando Poe Jr. and incumbent Senator Panfilo Lacson. “So it's a matter of logic and math. And (the) seven, they have to start talking about sliding down to number two. After all, in Philippine culture, being number 2 is more enjoyable. I'm talking about me as vice chief of staff of the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines ]. You know that," Ramos added. The former president also advised aspiring candidates against prematurely declaring their presidential ambitions. “Revealing is not the thing to do. It is negotiating in the back channels. You reveal when you have something very clear and very winnable to announce. There is such a thing as being premature and you end up being delivered by Caesarian delivery," he said. - GMANews.TV
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