The sisters of Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III have appealed to the public to give their brother time to decide and not to rush him into entering the presidential race, even as Senator Panfilo Lacson and a Catholic bishop threw their support behind the reluctant candidate.

Actress and TV host Kris Aquino said the public clamor for Noynoy to run has caused her family stress.

In an emotional appeal at the “Showbiz News Ngayon” show over ABS-CBN Wednesday night, Kris said the family is still mourning the death of their mother, former President Corazon Aquino, who passed away last August 1.

“Please don’t rush him. And please pray for my brother that he will make the right decision,’’ said Kris, youngest child of former President Aquino and Senator Benigno “Ninoy’’ Aquino Jr.

Kris said she cried when she heard Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas II announce he was sacrificing his presidential ambitions to give way to her brother.

“I cried because the family and supporters of Mar have invested so much time and effort,’’ she said.

Noynoy has gone on a three-day spiritual retreat for discernment and spiritual guidance. He announced Wednesday that he will bare his political plans after the 40th day of her mother’s death, which will be on September 8.

“Naranasan na namin ang buhay sa Malakanyang at masasabi namin na napakahirap. Pagkatapos, eto na naman. Sana po sabayan n’yong magdasal ang kapatid ko that he will make the right decision,” Kris said.

But Kris stressed that if Noynoy will make the country better, the family will support him.

“I told my mom and dad, during the wake of my mom, that I will support my brother. And we will support Noynoy kung ito ang ikagaganda ng bansa natin.’’

Eldest sister Ma. Elena “Ballsy” Aquino-Cruz also said they would prefer that their brother complete his term as senator until 2013.

Ballsy admitted that it was her sisters, Pinky Abellada, Viel Dee, Kris and herself who convinced the senator to think carefully before deciding to launch a presidential campaign.

"Noong siya'y (Cory) nabubuhay pa at may nag-uudyok kay Noy na maging vice president, talagang pinakikiusapan niya na 'Huwag na muna, Noy. Tapusin mo muna ang iyong pagka-senador. Huwag kang mag-aapura.’

“Then again, as I said, hindi naman namin alam that her death will cause this thing now na si Noynoy ay napapaisip na siya ay kakandidato," Cruz said during the launch of ABS-CBN's Cory Aquino commemorative exhibit at the Rockwell Power Plant Mall in Makati City the other night.

"[Pero] kung sa maging sa desisyon ni Noy sa kanyang discernment ay ganoon talaga, susuportahan namin siya 100 percent. Siguro, it's another six years of our lives na hinihingi niya na tulungan namin siya na tulungan ang ating bayan, eh, wala kaming magagawa," she added.

Many Aquino supporters began urging Noynoy to seek the highest office days after Cory died.

"[His retreat is] not for show, he just really wants spiritual guidance. Hindi lang dapat na makiliti ka na meron lang mag-udyok sa iyo ng konti eh, eto ka na. Kailangan mag-isip ka muna. Ang hinihingi lang naman namin eh patapusin iyong 40 days. Not that on the 41st day na meron na siyang made-decide, pero sana pagbigyan.

“Kasi ibang kaso na ito. Kasi [ang]mamuno ka ng bayan is no joke," Ballsy said.

Ballsy said that in any case, his brother’s leadership ability is as promising as their parents’.

"What I am sure of is that I won't be nervous that Noy will be tempted to steal. That I'm very sure of because even among us siblings, when it comes to money matters, he's very scrupulous," Ballsy said.

And for a politician, he's not at all pragmatic. He's very ‘white or black’ when sometimes people also need to be ‘gray.’ But that's where he is the same as my parents, that Noy can't be bought," she added.

Sen. Lacson Thursday said he would back Noynoy’s presidential bid and that President Joseph Estrada, who earlier expressed intention to run, should give up his bid to ensure opposition unity.

“Si Noynoy, isa lang ang masasabi ko. At least, sigurado tayong hindi mangungurakot. Dahil si Noynoy sa maiksing panahon ng pagkakakilala namin sa Senado kita ko naman yung integridad niya na intact,” he said.

“Kesa naman mapunta yung presidency sa isang magsasamantala sa Pilipinas e siguro ipe-prefer ko na yung isang katulad ni Noynoy,” he added.

Estrada earlier said he would support Aquino if he finally decides to run for president.

AlsoThursday, Noynoy said he would pick LP president Roxas as running mate should he decide to run. He said Roxas has been preparing for the presidency and has ‘’very good ideas on how to run the country and the system.’’

‘’I would be a fool not to have him as partner and an ally to advance this cause (espoused by Roxas),’’ Aquino said after confirming the statement of Roxas that there was no horse trading nor were there preconditions when Roxas withdrew from the race.

Noynoy was scheduled to leave yesterday for a convent in Zamboanga for a weekend spiritual retreat.

Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said he was one with Noynoy in praying for enlightenment.

“He is asking God for light. I will pray for him,” Lagdameo said over Church-run Radio Veritas, adding that it is admirable for Noynoy to be discerning despite the strong clamor for him to seek the presidency.

“It is good that Noynoy will go on retreat before he decides whether to run or not for president… Noynoy is not pushing himself too soon. He wants to weigh the pros and cons,” the prelate said.

But his fellow prelate, Marbel Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez, believes Noynoy could provide what the country has been sorely missing.

“I have not heard any issue of corruption against Noynoy. Siguro, this would be a very good occasion to combat corruption because the leader is not corrupt… what we need now is a moral leader, not an expert of economics,” he said. (With reports from Hannah Torregoza, Mario Casayuran and Leslie Ann Aquino)