Official: No pressure for Noli to join Lakas-Kampi-CMD

There is no pressure for Vice President Noli de Castro to immediately decide whether or not he would join or ally himself with the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD coalition for next year’s national elections, a party official said on Wednesday. “The vice president is the vice president, and a simple mortal like me, I am not confident that I can ask him such direct questions. I believe he knows what he is doing," said Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, the coalition’s interim president. Ermita’s statement came less than a week after two administration lawmakers said De Castro’s apparent coyness in announcing his plans for 2010 is "upsetting" members of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party. Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III said that by distancing himself from the party, De Castro is "alienating himself" from the coalition’s members and officials. Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante, for his part, said the longer it takes for De Castro to firm up his political plans, the more difficult it would be for him to muster support among coalition members. De Castro’s impressive performance in surveys has made him one of the top possible choices to be the administration’s standard-bearer in the coming elections. Despite the surveys, De Castro, an independent candidate, has yet to officially announce whether or not he would gun for the highest position in land next year. He has also avoided questions about joining the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party. Ermita said he is sure that De Castro “will make a very good decision soon enough about his fate." He did not elaborate. He also reminded those who want to be included in the party’s selection process that they have until July 31 to join Lakas-Kampi-CMD, ally himself with it, or at least send feelers that he is submitting himself to party procedures. Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who is also casting an eye on the presidency, will formally take his oath Lakas-Kampi-CMD member on Friday. Teodoro, who represented Tarlac province at the House of Representatives for three terms, had publicly admitted seeking the coalition’s endorsement to be its presidential pick for the 2010 elections. He was a member of the National People's Coalition (NPC), which was founded by his uncle, businessman Eduardo Cojuangco, but considered himself resigned from the party when he accepted the Defense portfolio in 2007. Ermita said Teodoro's entry into Lakas-Kampi-CMD advances his nomination to be the ruling party's choice as presidential bet. - GMANews.TV