Edu Manzano chosen as Gibo’s VP in 2010 polls

Finally, the administration party’s standard-bearer has found a running mate who could probably add luster to Gilberto Teodoro Jr’s candidacy in the 2010 national elections.

Actor and television host Edu Manzano will be the vice presidential bet of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, according to party vice chairman and Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno.

Teodoro, who remains lagging in presidential preference surveys, said Puno was instrumental in convincing Manzano, former chairman of the Optical Media Board (OMB), to run with the Defense chief in the 2010 national elections.

"I would like to introduce to all of you this morning someone whom Secretary Teodoro has accepted to be his running mate and [a] person who has accepted the challenge of standing beside Secretary Teodoro in the quest to become the next president of the Republic of the Philippines and him the next vice president of the Republic of the Philippines. No other than former OMB chairman Edu Manzano," said Puno at a press conference on Friday at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. [See: Puno gives up VP ambitions]

Teodoro said he was very pleased that Manzano accepted the invitation to become his running mate.

"Ang agenda namin pareho. Nag-uumpisa kami ng fresh. Nag-uumpisa kami dahil naniniwala kami sa prinsipyo ng Lakas-Kampi-CMD (Our agenda is the same. We are starting out fresh. We are starting this because we believe in the principles of Lakas-Kampi-CMD)," Teodoro said.

Manzano said Puno "played a very big role" in convincing him to run for vice president and support Teodoro all the way.

"You may not be of the knowledge that the good Secretary [Puno] has been like a mentor to me, and when he told me ‘kausapin mo si Gibo,’ (talk to Gibo) even before speaking to Secretary Teodoro I have already expressed my respect for Secretary Teodoro and my belief that he possesses all the qualities that are necessary to move this country forward," Manzano said.

"I would like to hitch my wagon on that of the good Secretary and be part of his team na siyang isusulong ang kinabukasan ng mamamayang Pilipino (that will work for the future of the Filipinos)," added Manzano.

The former OMB chairman told reporters after the press conference that he only finalized his decision on Thursday even though he and Puno have been discussing the idea months ago.

Aside from his discussions with Puno, his conversation with Teodoro two days ago wherein they discussed their plans for the country convinced him that he wanted to become the Defense chief’s running mate, Manzano said.

The 54-year-old Manzano, who was born in the US, sees no legal hindrance in his candidacy. The Supreme Court has already dismissed a petition questioning the actor’s qualification to run for public office because of his citizenship.

Lawyer Sixto Brillantes agrees. He said a ruling from the high tribunal says that even though a person is born in another country, he or she may still be considered a natural-born citizen of the Philippines if his or her parents are both Filipinos. Manzano’s parents are both Filipino.

“That’s okay. Being born there (in America) makes you an American citizen, but you’re still a natural-born citizen," Brillantes told GMANews.TV in a phone interview on Friday.

GMA

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