The endorsement of Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro as the administration's standard bearer and his running mate, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, is not yet final.

This developed as some senators and members of the opposition called on Teodoro and Puno to resign from their Cabinet posts to allay suspicions that they will use their authority to coerce the military, the police, and local executives into supporting them as the Administration’s bet for the presidential and vice presidential derby in 2010.

But Teodoro rejected the resign call, saying: “It will come in due time.”

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez said the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party will still have to hold a national convention next month to ratify the “consensus” reached by the 64-member executive committee last Wednesday.

“The possibility of the consensus being changed by the entire body is there but as of now, the sentiment is for Teodoro,” Gonzalez said in phone interview with the Manila Bulletin.

The Lakas-Kampi-CMD National Executive Committee (NEC) earlier picked Teodoro over Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando as presidential candidate in the 2010 polls during a meeting in Mandaluyong City. In a surprise move, the committee also expressed preference for Puno as Teodoro's running mate.

Gonzalez, party vice president for legal affairs, said he believes the consensus reached by the party executive committee, which represented members in Cabinet, two houses of Congress, and local government units, will be upheld during the national convention. “It may just be a formality,” he added.

Presidential Political Adviser Gabriel Claudio also affirmed that the consensus building exercise carried out by the NEC, the highest governing body of the party, was just the first of two-stage process in the selection of national candidates.

“This is the first step in a two-stage process. A national convention (the second step) will still be held to ratify and validate the preference for and endorsement of Secretary Teodoro by the executive committee within the period prescribed by law,” he said.

Puno may also not be the final vice presidential candidate if Teodoro prefers another individual, according to Gonzalez.

Gonzalez said majority of the party leaders actually preferred that Teodoro, once his nomination as presidential candidate is validated, should be given the privilege to choose his running mate.

He disclosed that the nomination for vice president was not discussed during the meeting last Wednesday although some members placed their preferred vice presidential bet during the voting for presidential candidate.

“The nomination for vice president was never taken up. I think the more prevalent sentiment was to leave the nomination of the vice president to whoever is nominated as vice president,” Gonzalez said.

Asked if Teodoro should be given the chance to pick his running mate, Gonzalez said: “I would assume that should be the case assuming that Teodoro is now really the one.”

He said other candidates for vice president may still emerge between now and the party’s national assembly next month. Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III earlier said Batangas Governor Vilma Santos Recto is one of those considered as a potential vice presidential bet.

On Vice President Noli de Castro’s decision not to run for president under the administration party, Gonzalez said they respect the decision of the vice president.

Meanwhile, Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago and Francis Escudero asked Teodoro to resign, worried that he might use the resources of the Department of National Defenseto push his candidacy.

Likewise, PDP-Laban Secretary-General Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said Teodoro and his touted running mate, Puno, should let go of their government position because they enjoy “undue” advantage over other aspirants for national office.

Pimentel said that due to their Cabinet posts, Teodoro and Puno have the government resources at their disposal and the authority they over government agencies and personnel.

“The posts of Defense and DILG secretary are powerful positions. And therefore, it should not only be Secretary Teodoro who should resign but also Secretary Puno,” he said.

Malacañang earlier said there is no need for Teodoro to resign from his post but must, like other government department chiefs, to make sure their departments’ funds and resources won't be used in their respective campaigns.