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Possible admin bets out by next month - officials


MANILA, Philippines - Newly merged administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD would decide by the end of next month whether or not a non-member could be its standard-bearer in the 2010 elections, officials said Wednesday. The party would also come up with their criteria and shortlist of national candidates by July 31, said presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio, the party's secretary general. Claudio made the statement in a press conference after the first meeting of the party's interim national executive committee. "We have agreed to meet again as a party on July 31st, at the end of [that] month or immediately after, at which time we shall be able to define the universe of the selection process, meaning the shortlist or those candidates that are going to be finally considered by the party for official nomination," he said. "We shall also be able to determine the specific criteria for the selection of national candidates," he added. Asked on whether membership is among the criteria for the party's standard-bearer, Claudio said: "We precisely avoided making definitive positions regarding that question to give the national executive committee as well as the candidates themselves better flexibility, but all of these will definitely become a lot clearer by the end of the month." Reports have it that the party had narrowed down its choices for presidential candidate to Vice President Noli de Castro and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who are both non-members. De Castro, an independent associated with the administration, has been topping surveys on preferred presidential candidates. He has not yet categorically stated whether he would run as president in 2010, but has stated that if ever he runs, he would not settle for anything less than the presidency. Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., also an independent after leaving the Nationalist People's Coalition, had earlier said that he would run for president if he gets the nod of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Teodoro has signified his intention to join the merged party, but has not done so yet pending the party's registration with the Commission on Elections. Executive secretary and party president Eduardo Ermita said President Arroyo, who stands as party chairman, would have "a lot of say" in the final choice. He said former president Fidel V. Ramos' opinion would also be taken into consideration. "Being chairman emeritus, definitely he will be consulted," Ermita said of Ramos. Ramos was not present during the gathering, but Claudio said the former president, who is currently in India, has given them the thumbs up to push through with the meeting. Aside from deciding to meet on July 31, Claudio said the party officials also finally created an arbitration committee that would settle disputes in the local level. The committee will be headed by Lakas-Kampi-CMD vice president for members and recruitment and former congressman Prospero Pichay. In an earlier interview, the party’s deputy secretary general Reggie Velasco said they aim to settle these disputes first before finalizing their list of candidates for the 2010 polls, including their standard-bearer. - GMANews.TV
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