Appointment of VP deferred by GMA

President Arroyo will defer the appointment of a new vice president, according to presidential spokesman and Palace chief of staff Renato Corona.

Malacañang made the announcement as sources tagged Sen. Teofisto Guingona as the "most likely" candidate. They said Mrs. Arroyo is not expected to make the announcement soon since she is allowed 60 days to make a decision.

Corona refused to confirm or deny if Guingona is indeed the top candidate but he confirmed that the President is not likely to decide the matter shortly because it is a divisive issue.

"The appointment of the vice president is not a priority because we’re in a transition stage and appointing a vice president at a time when we’re trying to get all sectors together will just be divisive," Corona said.

"But even if it’s not a priority, it’s very important," he added. "As we have seen in the past few days, when something happens to the President, the VP must not only be morally fit but also completely qualified and competent to take over as President."

Aside from that, reliable sources said, the new VP must also be from the President’s party, Lakas-NUCD.

"Why should she get from outside? This is her decision and she will naturally get a Vice President who has the same agenda (as hers) for the government," said a party official, requesting anonymity.

Lakas spokesman and Justice Secretary-designate Hernando Perez confirmed that the ruling party indeed met on the matter and it had been agreed that the choice would come from the Senate.

Originally, at least five senators, including Guingona, and three congressmen surfaced as Mrs. Arroyo’s possible replacement as VP.
Aside from Guingona, the other senators are Senate President Aquilino Pimentel, Senators Raul Roco, Franklin Drilon, and Loren Legarda-Leviste.

The candidates from the House of Representatives include former Speaker and Las Piñas Rep. Manuel Villar, Minority Floor Leader and Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte and Isabela Rep. Heherson Alvarez.

Alvarez confirmed that he had been approached but the VP post did not jibe with his plan to run anew for the Senate.

Mrs. Arroyo had earlier said that the new VP would also serve as secretary of foreign affairs, Alvarez noted.

He explained that the traveling required of the foreign affairs secretary would prevent him from pursuing his senatorial bid.

The sources said Guingona emerged as the top contender because he is the party president and he was the one who blew the whistle on ousted President Joseph Estrada following the exposé of Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson last year.

A day after Singson revealed Estrada’s direct involvement in jueteng operations, Guingona delivered a privilege speech and was almost booted out of the Senate because of it.

Guingona also hails from Mindanao and that would satisfy the "rule-of-thumb" that a President from Luzon should be balanced with a Vice President from the Visayas or Mindanao. Mrs. Arroyo is from Pampanga in Central Luzon.

But Corona dismissed as baseless such a criteria.

"If the person is really qualified, why should we even bother where he comes from? So it’s not important, it’s not a presidential election yet," he said.

"Before we think about who will become vice president, we must remember that this might become an issue for those who have ambitions and we do not want anyone to be displeased at this point and cause a shakedown of this administration," he explained.