MANILA - Until the end, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando fought for the endorsement of the administration party, Lakas-Kampi-CMD, to become its standard-bearer in the May 2010 elections. But the national executive committee members were not swayed. In its secret balloting on Wednesday, the committee chose Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro over Fernando.

"Subject to ratification by the national convention to be called by the party in accordance with law, the candidate of Lakas-Kampi-CMD for the 2010 election, as endorsed by the party's national executive committee, is the Honorable Gilbert C. Teodoro," announced Lakas-Kampi-CMD secretary-general Gabriel Claudio.

The party did not announce the results of the vote, but three party officers separately told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newbreak that the vote was 42-5 in favor of Teodoro.

The Lakas-Kampi-CMD national executive committee has 65 members, including its national chair, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Fifty-two were present in Wednesday's executive committee meeting, but four did not vote. Two ballots were spoiled and one absent member sent his vote.

The four who did not vote were Fernando; Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary and party vice-chairman Ronaldo Puno; former justice secretary and party vice-president for legal affairs Raul Gonzalez; and party deputy-treasurer Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo. Vice-president for sectoral affairs Edgardo Pamintuan was the one who sent his vote although he was absent. One ballot was blank and another read "Bayani Teodoro.'

Although President Arroyo was not in the executive committee meeting, her sons, Region III regional chairman Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo and Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado 'Dato' Arroyo, were present.

Fernando's threat, plea

Wednesday's voting was considered just a formality after a number of administration governors and congressmen--including high-ranking party officials—earlier endorsed Teodoro as the ruling party standard-bearer. But Fernando didn't give up.

First, he issued a veiled threat during the question and answer forum with the national executive committee shortly before the secret balloting was held.

The president's son, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo asked: "Assuming the other one is not chosen, does he see himself in another party?"

Teodoro said, "Running under another party is not an option,”  while Fernando answered, "I shall keep my options open."

After the question and answer forum, the two presidential aspirants--including the media--were asked to leave the Palawan Room of Edsa Shangri-La Hotel to allow the party officials to deliberate.

Fernando, however, went back to the room. Based on the accounts of party officials on what happened in the closed-door meeting, Fernando moved to postpone the scheduled voting. In a last-minute plea, he reiterated his call to include all members of the party in the selection process.

Fernando already made the call during his opening speech. "Selecting the party's standard bearer in the 2010 elections must not be a simple party consensus, but a very important selection process as that holds the future of the party. Therefore, it should be decided as democratically as possible and with the full participation of all party members who will work for the election of the standard bearer," he said.

The motion was put to a vote by way of a raising of hands. Fernando's motion lost. The voting proceeded.

"It's [full participation] humanly impossible," a party official told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak, explaining Fernando's motion. He said the party has up to 10,000 members, including barangay captains.

Next move: Make Gibo popular

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said that after finally announcing its standard-bearer, the party's next challenge is how to make Teodoro more popular to voters.  

"It is our task now to push for the better awareness of the party's candidate. We will see in the coming months when surveys are held and how they will fare," he said.

Ermita said Teodoro's low popularity in recent surveys--0.2% in the August 2009 survey of Pulse Asia--would serve as a challenge to the party's members.

"These recent surveys, where our candidate has not registered well, will serve as a challenge...This will be a challenge for our candidate," he said.

He added that the party is capable of bringing up Teodoro's survey ratings as it is "the most organized, the biggest and the strongest party."  

"We are certain that the result of the surveys will change dramatically and drastically. The party is made up of 70 percent of all incumbent officials," said Claudio.  

"Ang aming mga followers sa probinsya, naghihintay sino ang aming standard-bearer. Ngayon alam na nila sino standard-berarer, full swing na rin ang kanilang paghingi ng tulong sa mga kasamahan namin," said party deputy secretary-general Raymundo Roquero.

In an interview over ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda, Teodoro also expressed confidence that his survey ratings will go up once the Lakas-Kampi-CMD picks him as its standard-bearer.

"Kapag nagkaisa na ang partido, kapag nagsama-sama na lahat ng miyembro, hindi puwedeng hindi umakyat iyan eh," he said.  

He predicted that the election survey results will change once all aspirants have finally filed their certificates of candidacy on or before November 30.