ANTIPOLO CITY – Lakas-Kampi CMD presidential candidate Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. Tuesday said that the re-affirmation of support of some 130 congressmen belonging to the administration party proved that there was no mass defection from their ranks to the opposition and that he remains a strong candidate in the May 10 elections.

In stressing that the emergency caucus of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD congressmen held at a hotel in Makati City was purely an initiative of the party leadership, Teodoro said that he was elated to know that he proved himself correct when he earlier branded news reports that there was mass defection from their ranks as “mere rumors.”

“Ang kanilang personal commitments ay importante (Their personal commitments are important). But it's just to show the public that those so-called defection is not all true,” the 45-year-old former defense chief said.

Teodoro, along with his running mate Edu Manzano and senatorial candidate veteran broadcaster Rey Langit, dropped by the hotel to express his gratitude to Lakas-Kampi -CMD lawmakers who re-affirmed their support to his candidacy before proceeding here for a meeting with Antipolo City Mayor Danilo Leyble and other local officials.

Teodoro hurriedly left before President Arroyo arrived in the establishment to meet with her allies in the Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

Teodoro brushed aside speculations that he was avoiding Mrs. Arroyo, adding that he needed to leave the area before she arrived, adding that protocol requires that no one leaves the area ahead of the Chief Executive.