DILG chief Puno gives up VP ambitions

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, the sole administration party member to have publicly expressed his intention to run for vice president in 2010, announced on Friday that he will not push through with his candidacy.

"I would like to announce today that I am withdrawing my bid to run for vice president in the coming elections," Puno said at a forum in disaster preparedness in Camp Crame. Puno kept mum on whether his decision came amid rumors that the administration party is courting Senator Loren Legarda to be Defense Chief Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro's running mate in 2010. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, an administration ally, earlier said that a Gibo-Loren ticket would be a "superstar tandem.," while denying that there are formal talks to convince Legarda to run under the administration party. [See: Teodoro-Legarda a ‘superstar tandem’ in 2010 - Zubiri] In a mock poll organized by some members of the House media earlier this month, the predominantly Arroyo-allied House of Representatives preferred the Gibo-Puno tandem for 2010. [See: No surprise, Teodoro tops mock polls of House members] Puno edged out Legarda, 55-21. 'Rumors about bad health are rumors' Puno, who had earlier been hounded by rumors that he is dealing with heart-related health problems, also denied that his decision had anything to do with it. "I am perfectly healthy. I can even show you my chest to show that I haven't [under] gone any operation. All rumors about bad health are all rumors," he said. More important things than politics Puno said he will be staying as Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to focus on pending projects in the department. "I did this so that there will be no more talk of candidacy in the coming days and to dedicate myself to serving the people in the way I know best," he added. After he declared his desire to run as vice president in 2010, the national executive committee of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's Lakas-Kampi-CMD endorsed Puno as the party's vice presidential bet. Several public information advertisements hailing his achievements as Interior chief were aired in the past months on television and radio, hinting at his May 2010 bid. According to Puno, he has not spoken with Mrs. Arroyo about his withdrawal in the 2010 elections. "I haven't talked with [the] President directly about my decision, but I assume the people I have talked [to] about it have informed the President," he said. When asked what the party's next move will be, Puno, who also serves as Lakas-Kampi-CMD's executive vice chair, said he will leave it to the party leadership. "Kalimutan muna natin ang politika ngayon at tutukan ang mga problema na dapat tutukan. (Let's just forget about the politics for now and focus on more pressing problems) I wish the party leaders well and I know they will make the right decision in the future," he added. - with Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV