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Malacañang said Wednesday that Sen. Miguel “Migz” Zubiri’s name appeared during the fourth National Executive Committee meeting as a possible vice presidential candidate of the ruling party Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD).
Party members reported three most prominent names that have cropped up in the media and they informed the executive committee that there were ongoing talks with those prospective candidates, said Gabriel Claudio, the presidential adviser on political affairs.

President Gloria Arroyo shakes hands with Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro during an executive committee meeting of the ruling party at the Heroes Hall of Malacañang on Wednesday. Also in photo is Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita. Malacañang Photo

“The members of the [committee] came out with the observation that perhaps the party should give top priority to somebody who belongs not only to the party but [also] to the National Executive Committee itself and leaders of the party or members of the [committee] coming from Mindanao.

We’re very vocal and very passionate about the need for the party to consider somebody who will represent the interest of Mindanao,” he said. Zubiri hails from Bukidnon province in Mindanao.

When asked how he thinks Zubiri would fare along with other vice presidential bets, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said, “You can be sure that we [will] choose the proper candidate whether its Migz Zubiri or somebody else, especially if it’s the senator. I’m sure he would fare very, very well.”
Whoever emerges as the party’s vice presidential bet during selection day, November 19, Ermita said that the choice would have a “very, very good chance to be in tandem with Secretary Teodoro,” referring to Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, the standard-bearer of the ruling party in next year’s balloting.

Ermita added that choosing a candidate from Mindanao does not mean that there was a need to prop up the low popularity ratings of Teodoro in the country’s main island of Luzon.
GMA to ‘resign’

During the November 19 national convention of the ruling party, President Gloria Arroyo will relinquish the chairmanship of Lakas-Kampi CMD to Teodoro.

The convention is expected to formalize the nomination of the Defense secretary as the party’s presidential candidate in the May 2010 elections.

“She is stepping down from the chairmanship of the party in keeping or consistent with practice and tradition for the standard-bearer to assume party chairmanship,” Claudio said.

Claudio added that he also is stepping down as Lakas secretary general and Ermita as interim president. The party will elect new leaders to serve on a permanent basis.

According to Ermita, the President will continue to guide Lakas-Kampi CMD as president emeritus. He said that the post of chairman emeritus is available to former President Fidel Ramos.
He and Claudio said that the ruling party would announce its candidates for all national and local candidates during their convention.

Meanwhile, the camp of Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., former Public Works secretary who recently declared that he was running for president in next year’s polls, also on Wednesday denounced statements allegedly made by Prospero Pichay, the vice president of Lakas-Kampi CMD, that “threw mud at clean people” in order to draw attention to Teodoro.

During a press briefing in Greenhills, San Juan City (Metro Manila), Ramon Cecilio of the Aasahan Party and a supporter of the candidacy of Ebdane took a swipe at Pichay, saying that the former lawmaker may have talked to the “wrong God, [the reason] why he lost in the 2007 senatorial race.”

After Ebdane declared on Monday his bid to run for president, Pichay said that Ebdane’s decision to run for president did not have the “blessing and support of the party and the President.”

WITH REPORT FROM JAMES KONSTANTIN GALVEZ

BY ANGELO S. SAMONTE REPORTER
The Manila Times
Thursday, 12 November 2009 00:00