VP Noli denies deadline to decide on 2010 plans

Vice President Noli de Castro on Wednesday denied reports that Malacañang had given him a one-week deadline to decide whether or not he would run for president in next year’s national elections. “Wala po sa akin nagbibigay ng deadline. Ang deadline ko ay sa aking sarili lang (I’ve nobody’s deadline but mine)," De Castro told reporters on the sidelines of the 2nd Asia-Pacific Housing Forum of the Habitat for Humanity International in Makati City. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has invited De Castro to join the administration party so that he could be among the choices for the 2010 elections. But with nine months before the elections, De Castro, a former broadcaster, remained tight-lipped on his political plans for 2010 even if most of his possible opponents for presidency had already confirmed their candidacy. “Pinag-aaralan ko pa lahat ng options ko (I’m still weighing all my options)," he said. Earlier in the day, Senator Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III ended speculations on his 2010 plans when he announced that he would join next year’s presidential race Former President Joseph Estrada had also said that he is “99.9 percent" sure of gunning for the top elective post, adding that he would back out from the race only when the opposition unites to field a single standard bearer. Other opposition figures like Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and Sen. Ana Consuelo “Jamby" Madrigal also said they would run for president. For the administration camp, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Bayani had likewise announced they are aiming for the presidency. De Castro said the public should welcome such developments. “Lahat tayong mamamayan ay dapat matuwa dahil maraming gustong mag lingkod sa ating bayan di ba (We should all be glad because there are so many people who want to serve the country)?" he said. - GMANews.TV