Defensor to run as senator; Pagdanganan eyes old post

Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor, long touted as eyeing a Senate seat, is set to resign from the Cabinet to prepare for the May 2007 elections, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said on Wednesday. Ermita said Defensor could still go around the country as presidential chief of staff or opt to resign early so that he could prepare for his campaign without being hindered by his post. "I don’t have to coach him. He's a better politician than I am," Ermita added. The executive secretary said the administration’s senatorial line-up could be announced after the holidays or "between now and the end of the year." Ermita also said that Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) president Roberto Pagdanganan will run as Bulacan governor, a position he once held during the administration of former President Fidel Ramos. "He (Pagdanganan) will have to submit his resignation in due time to prepare for the elections and for the President to choose a replacement," he said. Ermita said he does not know if there are Cabinet members who have submitted their courtesy resignations. The election period starts in January 14 and the filing of certificates of candidacies (COCs) starts in January 15. -GMANews.TV