President Arroyo listens at the joint National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) and 34th Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, where developments on rescue efforts on storm ‘Ondoy’ were tackled.

There is no more hope of the various political parties fielding a common candidate to face administration bet, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, in the May 2010 presidential election, Senate  President Juan Ponce Enrile, chairman emeritus of President Joseph Estrada’s Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), said on Tuesday.

“Wala na (there is no more chance of a common opposition presidential bet). Erap (Estrada) has already stated in Pangasian that he is 99.999 percent sure of running,’’ Enrile said.

Enrile gave this assessment after Estrada and Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy’’ Aquino III, potential standard bearer of the Liberal Party (LP), met Sunday at an undisclosed place.

Both Estrada and Aquino refused to state whether the political opposition would field a common candidate. They are also silent on other issues.

The other potential presidential bets of the opposition are Senator Manuel Villar, president of the Nacionalista party (NP) and Senator Francis ‘’Chiz’’ Escudero or Senator Loren Legarda, both of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (PMP).

“If Erap sought the meeting, then he must feel that he is weak, and therefore, needs the support of the party whose help he is seeking. As far as I know, Erap did not seek the meeting,’’ he said.

Asked if the meeting had the imprimatur of the PMP, Enrile replied that “he told me he would meet with Noynoy. There was a request for a meeting with him.’’

He said his impression was that it was Noynoy’s camp that requested the meeting.

Asked whether Erap or Noynoy would withdraw from race to favor the other, Enrile said it would be unfair to say so but “I know Erap would not withdraw.’’

Asked about the purpose of meeting since either party wanted the presidency, Enrile replied: “I don’t think it (the meeting) was arranged by Erap. How do you unify if both parties are determined to run?’’

‘’They met in a neutral place. Erap brought his son (name not given but it was presumed it would be Senate President Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy’’ Estrada), no one else. The other side, Nonoy, brought his sisters and brothers-in-law,’’ Enrile said.