Zubiri sees toss-up between De Castro, Teodoro in 2010

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Noli De Castro and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro are enjoying slight advantage among other presidential aspirants within the administration coalition, an administration senator said Tuesday. Senate majority leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said without preempting the scheduled selection process, it would most likely be between De Castro and Teodoro. The senator made the assessment amid the expected formal merger administration parties Lakas Christian-Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) and Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), on Thursday. Zubiri, secretary general of (Lakas-CMD), said that while the bids of other known presidential hopefuls seeking the ruling party’s endorsement are still being considered, early indications show the nomination for administration’s bet would be a toss-up between Teodoro, who enjoys the party members’ support, and De Castro, who has much better ratings. “The vice president’s consistent showing in recent poll ratings is of prime consideration among party leaders. But Secretary Teodoro’s known competence, qualifications and track record as a three-term congressman and the country’s youngest defense chief are also being weighed carefully," Zubiri said in a statement. He however clarified that there is no truth to speculations that the administration party is already inclined to support a particular candidate as its official bet in 2010. “The issue as to who our standard bearer would be is not for party leaders to decide exclusively. There will be a process and it includes the entire membership of the coalition," Zubiri said. In searching for its standard bearer, the coalition would give premium not just to survey ratings but also to integrity and the ability of the candidate to lead the nation and to bring about the changes that the people want, he added. To date, the senator said party leaders are firming up details of the impending merger before the actual selection process for the administration’s official bet begins. The merger, according to Zubiri, will solidify the ranks of the ruling coalition in the next year’s polls and significantly increase the chances of its standard bearer in winning the presidential derby in the face of a divided opposition. De Castro and Teodoro have been invited as observers in the first meeting of the national executive board between Lakas and Kampi on Thursday. - GMANews.TV