|
By Sammy Martin, Reporter
The administration is seriously
considering a deep line-up in the 2010 presidential elections, not
only in the standard-bearer but also the senatorial candidates that
include President Gloria Arroyo’s son, Mikey.
In revealing Malacañang’s game
plan on Monday, House Speaker Prospero Nograles said the
administration’s front-running bet for president is Vice President
Noli de Castro. He cited de Castro’s topping of many surveys,
earning the Vice President, Nograles said, the tag “Mr. Clean.”
“Vice President de Castro is a
very strong contender, but I am not discounting the possibility that
the leadership might replace him as standard-bearer,” Nograles
told reporters during a press conference at the House of
Representatives after coming from a Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats
(Lakas-CMD) meeting in Makati City. Lakas-CMD is the ruling
coalition.
“But if you will ask me,
personally, he [de Castro] is the man,” the House Speaker said.
The Vice President, in surveys
conducted before the 2004 presidential elections, was named by
respondents as the top-favorite candidate for both president and
vice president.
Among those being floated as
possible replacement of de Castro as standard-bearer of the
administration are Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman
Bayani Fernando and Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte.
Fernando supposedly is highly
endorsed by former President Fidel Ramos and Belmonte, by several
administration congressmen.
Senatorial slate
Nograles also revealed that the
slate of possible senatorial candidates of the administration is
spearheaded by President Arroyo’s son, Rep. Juan Miguel
“Mikey” Arroyo of Pampanga.
The others, the House Speaker
added, are Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, Bacolod City Rep. Monico
Puentebella, Palawan Rep. Abraham Khalil Mitra,Parañaque City Rep.
Ed Zialcita, Iloilo Rep. Art Defensor and Mandaluyong City Rep.
Neptali Gonzales 2nd.
Cabinet members being groomed to
run as senators, according to Nograles, are Education Secretary
Jesli Lapus, Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd, Agriculture
Secretary Arthur Yap, Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, and Agrarian
Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman. Optical Media Board Chairman
Edu Manzano and MMDA Chairman Fernando, the House Speaker said, are
also being considered.
The rule of the equity of the
incumbent, he added, will be strictly followed and re-electionists
such as Senators Ramon Revilla Jr. and Lito Lapid are sure to get
slots in the so-called magic 12.
Nograles said administration bets
who failed to make it in the last elections, such as Ralph Recto,
Tessie Aquino-Oreta, Vicente Sotto 3rd, former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis
Singson and former Surigao Rep. Prospero Pichay are also being
considered in the final line-up.
He said the caucus primarily
aimed to push through with Lakas-CMD’s intention to court
Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) to merge with the ruling
coalition to produce a strong ticket in the 2010 polls. President
Arroyo founded Kampi.
|
