Gibo resigns as Lakas-Kampi chair

Wednesday, 31 March 2010 18:00 Fidelis Angela Tan

Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro has resigned as the administration party’s chairman to concentrate on his campaign.

"Effective immediately, I am resigning as chairman of the party so that I can focus all my efforts on campaigning for the presidency," he said in a letter to the party's national executive committee.

He added that the party needed a “full-time chairman who will be able to respond on a 24/7 basis to the needs of our party candidates running for various elective posts this coming elections.”

“Definitely, I'm pursuing my candidacy," said Teodoro in an interview with Ces Drilon on ANC's Rundown on Tuesday. "It's a step I took to ensure that I give my best possible shot at the presidency."

Lakas-Kampi-CMD secretary-general Francis Manglapus said that Teodoro had previously discussed abdicating the chairmanship, but will remain a member of the party and standard-bearer for this year’s elections.

He added that Teodoro had initially accepted the post of Lakas-Kampi-CMD chair in November last year despite debate from within the party that Teodoro would not be able to both run as standard-bearer and head the party.

“There was added responsibility, but he accepted it. And now that the local campaign is heating up, he has to take care of everybody. Now he wants to focus on his campaign. He needs someone to take care of party matters,” said Manglapus.

Manglapus also clarified that the move was not because Teodoro wanted to further distance himself from current President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as some observers have suggested.

“This is a very simple political decision on his part,” Manglapus said. “He said that as his campaign intensifies, the concerns of local officials are also intensifying. He can’t focus on both.”

The party’s executive committee will choose Teodoro’s successor in the next few weeks. According to Malaya, this will most likely be re-electionist Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno, the party’s vice chairman.

Singson drops out of Lakas-Kampi

Former Ilocos Sur governor Luis "Chavit" Singson has also dropped out of his post as provincial chairman of Lakas-Kampi-CMD. He is also leaving the administration party to support the presidential bid of Manny Villar of the Nacionalista Party.

"I have not been attending the metings of Lakas for a long time. It is unfair to Gilbert Teodoro if I announce it later on so I might as well announce it now so he can find a replacement for us in Ilocos Sur," he said in an interview.

It is currently unknown if Singson will be joining the Nacionalista Party. However he has made it clear that he will be offering no support to Teodoro's candidacy.

"Villar has been in politics longer," he said. "He knows more people. It is only now that I've gotten to talk to Gibo Teodoro, but I've known Villar for a long time."

"During the impeachment [of former president Joseph Estrada] he was one of the people who helped me," Singson added.

According to Teodoro, "Manong Chavit in Ilocos Sur...is a big loss. However, I will always rely on my personal relationship with the Ilocano people."

Manglapus however, said that Singson can be "quickly replaced" once he files an official letter of resignation.

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