Lakas-CMD shortlist out after Easter Sunday

MANILA, Philippines - Ruling political party Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) will release its shortlist of presidentiables for next year’s elections after the Holy Week, according to House Speaker Prospero Nograles. Nograles, who is Lakas-CMD’s party president, said he expects to get a "clearer picture" of the administration's presidential bets after party leaders narrow down their list of possible candidates. "We cannot dilly-dally anymore. We cannot procrastinate, we cannot take our sweet time," he said in a weekly forum in Quezon City. Among those being eyed to run for president in the administration’s ranks are Vice President Noli de Castro and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. The administration, however, is not ruling out picking a standard bearer nominated by other parties within the administration coalition. "We have to wait for coalition partners who are pro-administration to come up with presidentiables," Nograles said. Three Lakas officials - Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio, and party spokesman Prospero Pichay - would be talking with coalition parties with regards to the party's picks, said Nograles. The Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), which is affiliated with the administration, is currently choosing between Senators Francis Escudero and Loren Legarda. Nograles said Lakas is considering picking presidential bets from outside the party despite De Castro's impressive performance in surveys. He noted that De Castro has yet to formally announce his intentions for 2010. "In the first place it is not a question of leading the surveys. The question first is do you want to run. He has not told me personally that 'Mr. party president, I am running for president'," Nograles said. Once Lakas comes up with its shortlist, officials will approach local Lakas members to get their feedback on who they will support in the elections. "It is our policy that the selection process will not be dictatorial. The bottomline is, we really don't want to lose in the elections," Nograles said. - GMANews.TV