Lakas-Kampi-CMD secretary general Gabriel Claudio, apparently concerned about the chances of his party's presidential candidate, Gilberto Teodoro, in vote-rich Negros Occidental, yesterday urged Gov. Isidro Zayco to run for governor of the province in 2010.

Zayco, however, stood pat on his decision to run for mayor of Kabankalan City .

Claudio, who is also presidential political adviser, yesterday met with Zayco, Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr. (Neg. Occ., 5 th District), Rep. Jose Carlos Lacson (Neg. Occ., 3 rd District) and Sugar Regulatory Administrator Rafael Coscolluela at Malacañang's Guest House.

Lacson and Coscolluela have been rumored to be possible Lakas-Kampi-CMD gubernatorial bets for Negros Occidental but no decision has been made yet on whether the party will field a candidate.

The administration party is assessing whether it should field a gubernatorial bet since Negros Occidental is a vote-rich area and it wants to ensure the victory of Teodoro, but it is not sure whom the United Negros Alliance and its gubernatorial bet Sagay Mayor Alfredo Marañon will support, a source at the meeting said.

UNA's members, including Zayco, Lacson and Arroyo of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, come from different political parties. Marañon is a member of the Nationalist People's Coalition that has yet to announce whom it will support for president following the resignation of Senator Francis Escudero from the NPC.

The governor was asked by Claudio if he would run for governor and he said he would not because he already has a commitment to Marañon, Arroyo said.

“Personally I feel it is better if the administration party does not field a gubernatorial bet in the province to preserve the unity in UNA,” Arroyo added.

Zayco earlier said the Lakas-Kampi-CMD members who are part of UNA will support the presidential and other national candidates of their national party.

Arroyo said perhaps Coscoluela if asked by Malacañang may run for governor but he does not think Lacson will.

It appears that Claudio called the meeting to get a picture of the political situation in Negros and to feel the pulse, no decision was made and another meeting will be called in a few days, he said.

Zayco said while Claudio asked him yesterday to run for governor, which he turned down, the meeting was more about the party's presidential candidate.

The governor had earlier lamented that no consultation was being conducted by the party with provincial leaders on its plans for national candidates and on the rumored fielding of a gubernatorial bet in Negros Occidental.

It was an assessment meeting on what is going on in Negros Occidental, no decision was made, Coscolluela also said.

The administration party has to do its leg work by touching base with UNA, he said.

“The party has to know where UNA stands before it makes a decision,” he added.

Lacson said the main topic at the meeting yesterday was national politics.

Strategy for Teodoro's presidential bid was tackled, Lacson said, noting that Negros Occidental is No. 2 after Cebu in the list of vote-rich provinces.*CPG

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