Lakas exec: Gibo's VP should be from Mindanao
11/11/2009 | 10:13 PM
The ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD party wants somebody from Mindanao to be the running mate of its presidential bet, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., an official said on Wednesday.
Presidential adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio, who is the party's secretary general, said the vice presidential bet should also be from their national executive committee (NEC).
He said this was the consensus reached during the political organization's NEC meeting in Malacañang
“The members of the national executive committee most spontaneously came out with the observation that perhaps the party should give top priority to somebody who belongs not only to the party but to the national executive committee itself coming from Mindanao. ," he said.
"We're very vocal and very passionate about the need for the party to consider somebody who will represent the interest of Mindanao," he added.
NEC members from Mindanao include Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong, Tawi-Tawi Rep. Nur Jaafar, Local Water Utilities Administration chairman Prospero Pichay, Surigao del Norte Rep. Glenda Ecleo, and governors Aurora Cerilles of Zamboanga and Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
But this early, Zubiri said he is not inclined to seek a higher post in next year's elections.
“I’m not ready emotionally, physically, financially. I’m not ready to go to another national campaign," Zubiri told reporters Wednesday.
Zubiri said their members in the Visayas and Mindanao have been pushing for him to be Teodoro’s running-mate. “Matagal na yung alok sa akin (That's been a long standing offer). I just told them, no."
He said he has been offered four times already, the last one being on Wednesday.
“They gave me 24 hours to change my mind but I don’t see a difference in 24 hours. I really cannot… I have so much work to do here as the majority floor leader of the whole Senate," Zubiri said.
Another prospective vice presidential bet of the administration, Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, also thumbed down the offer.
Revilla, a former actor and a first-termer senator, said he would follow the wish of his father, former Senator Ramon Revilla Sr., and just run for reelection next year.
“Sa araw na ito ay buong pagpapakumbaba kong hinihiling sa aking mga kapartido na huwag nang ikunsidera ang aking pangalan sa kanilang pinagpipiliang makatambal ni Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro," he said in a statement.
(Today, I humbly ask my party-mates to remove my name from the list of the persons they are considering to be the running mate of Teodoro.)
Revilla admitted on Monday that a high-ranking official of Lakas-Kampi offered him the vice presidential post. - with Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV
Presidential adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio, who is the party's secretary general, said the vice presidential bet should also be from their national executive committee (NEC).
He said this was the consensus reached during the political organization's NEC meeting in Malacañang
“The members of the national executive committee most spontaneously came out with the observation that perhaps the party should give top priority to somebody who belongs not only to the party but to the national executive committee itself coming from Mindanao. ," he said.
"We're very vocal and very passionate about the need for the party to consider somebody who will represent the interest of Mindanao," he added.
NEC members from Mindanao include Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong, Tawi-Tawi Rep. Nur Jaafar, Local Water Utilities Administration chairman Prospero Pichay, Surigao del Norte Rep. Glenda Ecleo, and governors Aurora Cerilles of Zamboanga and Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
But this early, Zubiri said he is not inclined to seek a higher post in next year's elections.
“I’m not ready emotionally, physically, financially. I’m not ready to go to another national campaign," Zubiri told reporters Wednesday.
Zubiri said their members in the Visayas and Mindanao have been pushing for him to be Teodoro’s running-mate. “Matagal na yung alok sa akin (That's been a long standing offer). I just told them, no."
He said he has been offered four times already, the last one being on Wednesday.
“They gave me 24 hours to change my mind but I don’t see a difference in 24 hours. I really cannot… I have so much work to do here as the majority floor leader of the whole Senate," Zubiri said.
Another prospective vice presidential bet of the administration, Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, also thumbed down the offer.
Revilla, a former actor and a first-termer senator, said he would follow the wish of his father, former Senator Ramon Revilla Sr., and just run for reelection next year.
“Sa araw na ito ay buong pagpapakumbaba kong hinihiling sa aking mga kapartido na huwag nang ikunsidera ang aking pangalan sa kanilang pinagpipiliang makatambal ni Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro," he said in a statement.
(Today, I humbly ask my party-mates to remove my name from the list of the persons they are considering to be the running mate of Teodoro.)
Revilla admitted on Monday that a high-ranking official of Lakas-Kampi offered him the vice presidential post. - with Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV
