Arroyo man Bello admits pro-Noynoy sentiments

After Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, another member of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s Cabinet indicated Wednesday his sentiments are for Liberal Party standard bearer Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III. But Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III stopped short of saying he would support Aquino’s presidential bid this early, saying he would quit his post should he finally decide to do so. “Eh, siyempre medyo ang sentiment ko para kay Noynoy. Pero kung mag-iisip ako na susuporta sa kanya, bago pa man ako gagalaw, magbibitiw muna ako (My sentiments are for Noynoy. But if I would think of supporting his presidential bid I would resign from my post first)," Bello said in an interview on dzXL radio. “Sarilihin mo na lang ang choice mo (If you want to stay in the Cabinet and you are supporting someone other than the administration bet, keep your choice to yourself)," he added.

In the radio interview, Bello admitted he is for Noynoy mainly because of the senator’s late mother, former President Corazon Aquino, under whose administration he served for six years. Bello said Mrs. Aquino appointed him Justice undersecretary on March 2, 1986 – days after she was catapulted to Malacañang through the EDSA People Power uprising. “Naglingkod ako sa nanay niya for a solid six years (I served under his mother for a solid six years)," he said. Bello is the second Cabinet member after Secretary Romulo to indicate he is leaning toward Aquino in the 2010 national elections. Only last Tuesday, Bello came out in the news saying that Cabinet members who will not support the administration's presidential bet must quit. This he said after Romulo expressed that his sentiments were for Noynoy. Romulo, however, said Tuesday night that he would not quit his post. The ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD party earlier chose Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. as standard-bearer for the 2010 presidential polls. Surprise Bello admitted Romulo’s indication of support for Aquino was a surprise to the Palace. Still, he said, Mrs. Arroyo is not likely to summon Romulo for an explanation. “Alam mo si Pangulo is so compassionate, kumbaga maintindihin. I don’t think she will do anything to react to this. Alam natin si Sec. Romulo is a very honorable man. Under the circumstances alam siguro ni Sec. Romulo ang dapat niyang gawin (Mrs. Arroyo is so compassionate and understanding, I don’t think she will do anything to react to this. But then again, Romulo is an honorable man. Under the circumstances, I think, he knows what he should do)," he said. He also said they expect no one from the Cabinet would "jump ship" and support other candidates. But he also reiterated that while Cabinet members are free to support whoever they think is the best for 2010, they must first quit their posts. "The moment we cannot stand by the decision of the President, siguro, dapat umalis ka na lang, makakasira ka sa teamwork (The moment we cannot stand by the decision of the president, then we should leave lest we destroy teamwork)," he said. Meanwhile, Bello admitted Teodoro will have to work hard to overcome his dismal ratings in surveys. "He has to work harder and show the people di masama ang administrasyon ni President Arroyo (He has to work harder and show the people the Arroyo administration is not all that bad)," he said. - GMANews.TV