Even if he's for Charter change

MANILA - Looming administration party presidential bet Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Tuesday said he is good for only one presidential term even if he advocates Charter change, which, theoretically, could result in the lifting of term limits on elected officials.

Teodoro, who is expected to resign as secretary of National Defense in the next few days to prepare for his presidential run, made the statement during a forum organized by the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP).

Asked if he would be “tempted” to push for the lifting of the 1-term limit for presidents, Teodoro said: “That’s a controversial question. I believe that once you call a Constitutional Convention (Con-Con), everything (in the constitution) can be opened to amendments.”

However, the 45-year-old ex-congressman, who is a lawyer by training, added: “If I win, that will be my last 6 years in politics, or if cut short by the Con-Con, whatever the length of the president’s term is ... because after this, I want to retire.”

Teodoro, a scion of the Cojuangcos of Tarlac, said he has been in politics since he was 15 years old, and he wants to spend the rest of his life “doing something productive.”

Alerts mayors on new storm

Teodoro, meanwhile, turned the supposed forum or debate organized by town mayors into an occasion to call Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon mayors to a meeting to track progress of a new weather disturbance.

Teodoro said the disturbance is projected to hit during the All Souls' Day weekend, when people are in cemeteries.

He expressed concern over the possibility of having to rescue huge numbers of people should the need arise. 

The tropical storm, which is still over Marianas Islands (North of Guam), was estimated by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) at 2,200 kilometers east northeast of Visayas with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

PAGASA forecasts the storm to move west northwest at 26 kph. The weather disturbance is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday.

Teodoro, who came from a Cabinet meeting held in the former Clark Air Base, was the only presidential aspirant to accept the invitation of LMP to appear before its members, present a platform of government, and address local government concerns.