Ronnie Puno is the current secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government in the Philippines.
Most senior officials of the Nationalist People's Coalition want Senator Manuel Villar to be the party's presidential candidate in the 2010 elections based on a straw balloting among members of the party's national executive committee, party insiders revealed Friday.
The completion of the straw vote toughen earlier reports that Sen. Loren Legarda, the NPC's vice presidential bet, is set to team up with Villar as a result of the departure of Sen. Francis Escudero, previously the NPC's presumptive standard bearer, from the party.
It also put an end to agreement for a coalition between the NPC and the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD that could have produced a Teodoro-Legarda tandem in 2010.
In a straw balloting among members of the NPC national executive committee, Villar won majority of the ballots, followed by Escudero.
Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, the administration party presidential bet and former NPC secretary general, landed a close third, reportedly as a result of the strong support given him by senior leaders of the party.
"The result of the straw vote gave us the signal that Villar can become Sen. Legarda's president," a highly reliable party source said.
The source, a congressman, said Escudero's landing in second place indicates he still has sympathizers in the NPC although their loyalty remains with the party.
"Senator Escudero and Secretary Teodoro have sympathizers because they were among the young and bright political stars of the party. But they left us," the source added.
Lakas-Kampi-CMD Deputy Secretary General Ray Roquero said Teodoro will likely have Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. for his running mate. The tandem would be confirmed in the LKC convention to be held on November 19 at the Philippine International Convention Center.
Roquero said among those pushing for Revilla as Teodoro's running mate were Binalonan Mayor Ramon Guico Jr. national president of the 1,500-strong League of Municipalities of the Philippines; Misamis Occidental Leo Ocampos who heads the League of Provinces; and Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo.
"Senator Revilla is nearest to the hearts of local officials because of his experience as a former provincial governor; that gives him the edge more than his celebrity appeal," Roquero said, quoting Guico.
The LKC official said Ocampos finds Revilla a party man of "strong loyalty and belief in what the party is capable of achieving."
On the other hand, Pelayo has reportedly aired strong belief that the Teodoro-Revilla team up would be a powerhouse team in the 2010 campaign.
"All these three endorsers are deeply bred in the ideology and discipline of the old Lakas-CMD, which they find in common with Senator Revilla," Roquero said.
Meanwhile, San Jose del Monte Rep. Arturo Robes said Kampi men in the LKC remain supportive of Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronnie Puno as Teodoro's running mate.
Robes also said they expect President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to turn down offers by certain party leaders to run for vice president.
"While we believe that President Arroyo is a strong bet for the vice presidential post, we believe she is more decided at concentrating in serving her constituents in Pampanga as their representative to the Lower House," said Robes.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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