Puno VP bid getting more support

GORDON: Political acumen is Puno’s ticket to the vice presidency

By ROGER M. BALANZA

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno’s grasp of local governance and his ties with local officials could pave the way for his winning the vice presidency without a sweat.

Senator Richard Gordon also said Puno’s well-known organization skills would further boost his luck as Lakas-Kampi-CMD bet in the forthcoming elections in May 2010. 

Gordon said he would like to have Puno as running mate in May if he decides to seek the presidency. Gordon however may have a rival in Liberal Party standard bearer Sen. Mar Roxas, who also wants the DILG secretary in his ticket as his vice president.

“He knows almost all the local officials down to the barangay level and everybody knows his political acumen,” Gordon said as he joined the list of national leaders rooting for Puno.

Puno formally announced his intention to vie for the country’s second highest elected post under the administration party.

He is very much qualified, said Gordon, who is also aspiring for the presidency in next year’s polls. “We are good friends; I know him personally and he is very much qualified,” said Gordon. 

The lawmaker said that while he has not yet made a final decision on his political plans, he would welcome Puno as his running mate if he decides to take a crack at the presidency.

Puno’s qualifications and assets as administrator and political guru could make a big difference if I will have him in my ticket, said Gordon.

His familiarity with local officials and his grasp of relevant issues that would be in the electorate’s mind come election time would greatly benefit from anybody who would partner with the DILG secretary as running mate, said the senator.

Gordon’s praises for Puno comes as Sen. Mar Roxas, the Liberal Party’s presidential bet in May, wished he could get Puno as his running mate.

Roxas last week told Senate reporters he has placed Puno in his short list of prospective running mates, even as most Lakas-Kampi-CMD stalwarts are hot about pushing Puno as the administration party vice presidential bet.

Observers said Roxas’ preference for Puno meant he has dropped a previous idea to have Sen. Panfilo Lacson as his vice president in next year’s polls, after the latter said he is junking a plan to run for president for lack of campaign funds.

Puno’s announcement to take a crack at the second highest post has sparked positive response from the leaders of both the opposition and the administration parties, anchoring their support for Puno’s assets as chief political campaigner of three presidential candidates.

Sec. Gabriel Claudio, presidential adviser on political affairs and stalwart of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, cited Puno’s wide political experience and maintain that he would continue to play an “important” role in the political campaigns of the administration party next year despite Puno being himself a candidate.

Senate Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, aside from welcoming Puno’s candidacy warned the latter’s would-be opponents that the DILG chief would be hard to beat at the polls.  “He (Puno) is a formidable opponent,” Estrada declared.