Declare your intentions for 2010, Noli urged

Vice President Noli de Castro was urged yesterday to declare his intentions for 2010 to hasten the alignment of forces among supporters of the Arroyo administration.

House Deputy Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, a stalwart of the ruling Lakas party, said De Castro should now announce whether he is running for president or seeking reelection as vice president, and under what party.

Gonzales said there are speculations that De Castro would be the running mate of Senate President Manuel Villar Jr., who has declared his intention to run for president under his Nacionalista Party.

He said if the vice president would aspire for the presidency and Lakas would adopt him, it is most likely that many members of the ruling party would support him.

The Mandaluyong congressman added that as of now, Lakas leaders and members are still looking for a viable candidate to support.

De Castro does not belong to any political party. In 2004, Lakas adopted him when he agreed to be the running mate of President Arroyo. De Castro is also close to Villar since the two of them belonged to the so-called Wednesday Club in the Senate when he was senator.

Among Lakas members, only chairman Bayani Fernando of the Metro Manila Development Authority has offered to seek the presidency under the banner of the ruling party. Lakas, however, has not taken up his offer.

Gonzales said the emergence of a strong administration candidate for president in 2010 could also hasten the merger of the two big administration parties – Lakas and Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi).

He said the lack of a viable aspirant on either side is delaying the merger.

“Unification can only happen if the two parties unite behind a viable presidential candidate. Unification would be difficult to happen without such a candidate,” he said.

He added that if Lakas and Kampi join forces now, their union would break up if a weak administration standard-bearer were chosen.

Gonzales also said the administration candidate in 2010 would have a great chance of winning with the prospect of the opposition being split four or five ways.             – Jess Diaz