More than 100 congressmen will be bound by “palabra de honor” (word of honor) in keeping up their commitments to make Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard bearer Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro the next president of the country.
Party spokesman Rep. Jose “Joboy” Aquino II of Agusan del Norte aired this optimistic prediction even as the ruling party secretary general Ray Roquero laughed off a political analyst’s view that Teodoro is no longer in contention in the presidential race.
Political analyst Ramon Casiple said that based on poll surveys, the presidential derby has been limited among Senators Manuel villar of Nacionalista Party and Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III of Liberal party, and former president Joseph Estrada.
Lakas-Kampi-CMD officials questioned Casiple’s credibility, noting that he is secretary general of Claimants 1081 and former officer of party-list Akbayan that has fielded another officer, Rissa Hontiveros-Baraquel, in the LP senatorial slate.
Roquero said 43 congressmen and 18 governors who are running unopposed or are facing weak candidates were expected to deliver at least 10 million votes for Teodoro.
On the other hand, Aquino noted that majority of party-list congressmen are behind the administration standard bearer to be the next president of the country.
“On the part of the members of the House of Representatives, especially those members of the merged Lakas-Kampi, more than a hundred congressmen, mostly first and second termers, are strongly behind the candidacy of eodoro,” said Aquino.