Lakas in no hurry to pick presidential bet for 2010

MANILA, Philippines – Amid the preparations of some presidential wannabes for the 2010 elections, the ruling party Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) is not about to adopt a candidate as the administration’s standard-bearer, party spokesman Prospero Pichay said yesterday.

Pichay said the ruling party is not in a hurry to name its presidential bet considering the elections are still two years away.

He said Lakas is not even rushing to open its doors to some presidential aspirants lining up to be adopted by the country’s largest political group.

Pichay said Lakas is currently prioritizing to strengthen its ranks to retain control of the political arena in 2010.

While the party’s leadership knows that the 2010 presidential elections are just around the corner, Pichay said, “we also know that we have a political party that has a nationwide network that extends all the way to the farthest and remotest barangay in the country.”

This is the reason why Lakas should not be viewed as getting desperate to adopt any candidate, even those outside of the party.

Pichay said the opinions of President Arroyo and former President Fidel Ramos will play a vital role in selecting the party’s candidate.

Despite the party’s refusal to name a candidate, Ramos himself appears to be supporting Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando.

Ramos has insinuated supporting a “Pink Panther” in the ruling party. Fernando, known for his campaign color pink in managing the MMDA, has declared his ambition to run in the 2010 presidential elections. 

He claimed Ramos has urged him to “move! move!” and go ahead with his “iron hand” style of implementing the law. 

Those who want him to pursue his plan of turning Malacañang pink are even interpreting his initials, BF, as “Bayani Fidel.”

Ramos’ so-called silent support for Fernando was further revealed, supposedly, when the former chief executive told a recent gathering in Silliman University in Dumaguete City that the country needs a “bayani” (hero) to solve its problems.

Ramos focused on the need to put the country in order.

“Ang kailangan natin ngayon ay isang bayani (what we need now is a hero),” Ramos said.

As if by coincidence, Fernando also went to Silliman University a few days after Ramos spoke in the gathering.

Political leaders who attended the school’s first lecture series warmly applauded the remarks made by Ramos while observers supposedly interpreted his remarks as a sign of the former president’s approval of Fernando’s no-nonsense style of governance.

Fernando repeatedly called on Lakas to close the nomination for presidential candidates.

He told the gathering that he will definitely run for president in 2010.

Fernando also warned the party leadership against adopting an outsider as standard-bearer.

He said the move would send a wrong message to the young party members who value loyalty as one of the foundations of Lakas.

Fernando, the Lakas vice president for the National Capital Region (NCR), said the popular presidential wannabes concede that popularity alone is not enough to win the presidency in 2010.

This is the reason why many of these candidates are forming a beeline to be adopted by Lakas, he said.

Fernando said Lakas couldn’t also adopt or form another alliance with another political party that does not subscribe to the policies and principles of centrist democracy.

If Lakas sets aside its centrist democracy ideology to allow popularity and pageantry over principles, then it will be no different from other political parties known for their politics of compromise and accommodation, he said.