Arroyo endorses ‘Gibo’ as her successor

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo endorsed her former defense chief as her successor yesterday although major defections hit the nation’s biggest political party ahead of presidential elections next May. About 48 million Filipinos will vote in May to choose a president, vice president, nearly 300 lawmakers and more than 17,000 local government officials in national and local elections.

Arroyo stepped down as leader of the Philippines’ ruling party, but offered no clues about her future plans amid talk she may seek a seat in Congress.

“I am relinquishing [my post] today as national chairperson and handing over the reins of the party’s top leadership to the brilliant, young standard bearer selected by our national executive committee, Gilbert Teodoro,” Arroyo told some 3,000 members of the Lakas-Kampi (Strength-Ally) coalition.

Arroyo said she remained confident Teodoro would win the presidency on the strength of the dominant party.

Lakas-Kampi has controlled about 70 percent to 75 percent of all national and local ­government elective positions for the last 15 years, a majority that helped Arroyo ­survive four impeachment motions in Congress from 2005.

‘ARDUOUS’

However, she acknowledged that there was a “big and arduous task” ahead because of Teodoro’s poor ratings in opinion polls. Teodoro got only 2 percent support based on the latest Pulse Asia survey last month.

“The easiest way to campaign is to criticize,” Teodoro told partymen after he was formally nominated as Lakas-Kampi’s ­standard-bearer, referring to the good showing of opposition candidates. “Excellence will be the key to our winning our struggle for economic and social liberties.”

At a sports stadium across the city, Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino of the opposition Liberal Party was swearing in two mayors from the administration party who defected to his side.

Local media have speculated that Arroyo will run for Congress in May to win a temporary reprieve against possible corruption charges that the opposition has threatened to launch against her.

Sitting legislators may not be prosecuted for certain violations of the law while they are in office.