Teodoro resigns as Lakas chairman

MANILA, Philippines - Administration presidential bet Gilbert Teodoro Jr. resigned last night as chairman of Lakas-Kampi-CMD to focus on his candidacy.

Francis Manglapus, of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, admitted in a television interview that Teodoro indeed gave up his chairmanship in a text message from Cebu, but assured his supporters that he is continuing his quest for the highest elective position in the land.

Teodoro, interviewed by ANC anchor Ces Drilon right after the news broke out, said he decided to give up his chairmanship to “devote full time to his candidacy and winning the presidency.”

“The more important thing for me now is to devote my time to my candidacy and not the 18,000 or more local candidates. This is, in a way, an important step for the party and for myself,” said Teodoro, who was interviewed by the giant broadcast network while having dinner with Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia.

Garcia, on the other hand, emphasized that she is committed to supporting Teodoro amid reports that the clan is divided on their choice for president.

Teodoro took the party by surprise with his decision, which he said would allow the party to replace him with a new chairman who can focus on the more than 70 percent of all local races where it has the most number of candidates.

“The party needs at this time 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 positions in this coming elections,” he said.

Among those expected to succeed him is party vice chairman Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and party president Sarangani Gov. Miguel Dominguez.

Malacañang, meanwhile, declared that it is not giving up on Teodoro, whose survey ratings remained virtually stagnant at single-digit levels with the elections just over a month away.

Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar said the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey that showed the administration bet obtaining only six percent was taken before the local campaign period began on March 26.

“We have the word of administration party spokesmen and leaders that we will start to see the effects of their grassroots strength after the local campaign starts on March 26,” Olivar said.