Lapid drops gubernatorial bid, seeks Senate reelection in 2010

Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid on Wednesday filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office, saying he chose to seek reelection instead of aspiring to be Pampanga governor again on the request of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. "Sabi niya kung pwede daw ako tumakbo muli bilang senador kasi si Senator Bong Revilla, halos kaming dalawa na lang ang natira sa partido, ang sabi ko, napag-usapan naming dalawa ni Bong na manatili kami," Lapid told reporters in an interview.

(The President asked if I could run as senator again because only Senator Bong Revilla and I remain in the party, I talked it over with him and we agreed to stay and run for the party.) The actor-turned-politician said that although the people of Pampanga were eagerly awaiting his return, his loyalty to the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD party ultimately made him decide to run for senator once more. “Kailangan kasi ako ng partido, kasi ang loyalty natin sa partido at ating mahal na pangulo lalo ngayon iniiwanan siya ng mga kasamahan namin, hindi ko siya maiiwan, andito ako para sa kanya," Lapid told reporters, adding that he doesn’t know yet who will run for Pampanga governor. (The party needs me, my loyalty to the party and to the President, especially now that many of our colleagues left her, I cannot leave her, I am here for her.) Saying that if the Filipino people permit it, he said he wishes to continue his work at the Senate, specifically his project of providing free legal assistance to the poor. “Itutuloy ko na lang po tong mga trabaho ko sa Senado kung mabibigyan pa po ako ng isang pagkakataon ngating mga kababayan, itutuloy ko ang paglilingkod ko sa kanila (If they give me another chance, I wish to continue serving them)," he said. 'Might miss deadline' Lapid said he filed his COC separately from the other Lakas-Kampi senatorial bets because he still has a lot of things to do and that he was afraid that he might not make the deadline if he waits for his colleagues. And despite the seemingly low ratings that their standard bearer, former defense sectretary Gilberto Teodoro, has been receiving, Lapid said he is not worried that their party’s bets might lose in 2010. “Lalakas yan, siyempre bago pa lang siyang naghahayag eh (He will become stronger, those ratings are normal because he recently just declared his candidacy)," said Lapid. Lapid served as Pampanga governor from 1997 to 2003. During his term, he was accused of enriching himself in office with the lahar quarry funds. He, however, denied the allegations, saying the Ombudsman had cleared him in a case questioning the use of quarry funds. In 2004, he ran and won as senator under the administration ticket K-4. He is the current chairman of the Senate Committee on Games, Amusement and Sports. In 2007, he lost his mayoral bid against Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay. Joining Lapid in the Lakas-Kampi-CMD senatorial slate are Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, broadcast journalist Rey Langit, Senator Ramong "Bong" Revilla, Jr., and Jesus "Jess" Arranza. Leon ng Maynila Earlier, retired police general Romeo Maganto also filed his COC for senator at the poll body main office. Unlike Lapid, however, Maganto is running as an independent, saying that he didn’t want to create a rift between him and his friends in both the administration and the opposition. “You know I have a lot of friends in the administration and the opposition, so para walang samaan ng loob (that there would be no ill feelings), I decided to run as an independent," he said, adding that he wasn’t worried of losing. "I know I have millions of supporters all over the country," he said. After having heard about the recent Maguindanao massacre, Maganto said he plans to create policies that would protect the media. He also said that he wants to provide scholarships for the children of media men, police, and soldiers. In 1999, a film was created based on the life of Maganto. It was titled “Leon ng Maynila, Lt. Col. Romeo Maganto." Since Friday, 26 presidential, two vice presidential, and 17 senatorial hopefuls have filed their COCs at the Comelec. The last day for the filing of COCs is on December 1 at 12 midnight. - RSJ/GMANews.TV