With less than three weeks before its national convention, the administration party is still searching for a vice presidential candidate but denied having a hard time in its quest.

Presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio said there are many potential candidates for the vice presidency within the administration coalition even after Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno had pulled out from the race.

Claudio, however, insisted that the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party has finalized a presidential tandem for the 2010 national elections, adding that the reported tandem of Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia is not yet a done deal.

While he acknowledged the qualifications and strengths of Garcia, he also said Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, another Cebuano, also has the making of a good vice presidential bet. But selecting Durano may pose a problem for the administration since he belongs to the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

Other possible vice presidential contenders floated earlier by party allies are Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto and Senator Ramon Revilla Jr.

“There are many prospects who want to be in tandem with Gibo. But I have to clarify the reports are not official in the sense there is no formal initiative from the party,” Claudio said in a radio interview.

Claudio, also secretary general of the party, said the party is considering the “geographical combination” in its presidential team up. Teodoro hails from Tarlac province.