Escudero has decided but defers announcement

Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero has come to a decision about the 2010 presidential elections but deferred his announcement this Monday in deference to the victims of typhoon “Pepeng.”

Escudero, who turned 40 last Saturday, was supposed to announce his intention at noon at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan.

As early as Saturday night, however, Escudero’s office issued an advisory that he would hold a press conference at the Senate at 1:00 p.m. Monday to clarify the matter.

Escudero said he would not make any political announcement because this was not the right time to talk politics while many were suffering from the disaster brought about by tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng.”.

"No, because this isn’t the right time to talk about politics, politick, and talk about personal ambition or dreams for the country,” he said in an interview over ABS-CBN's morning show "Umagang Kay Ganda."

But asked whether or not he would run for president in 2010, the senator said in jest, "Sa kanto muna pansamantala [It’s in the corner in the meantime]."

"May desisyon at pasya na kami, ako. Pero hindi ito ang tamang panahon para pag- usapan yan [We have decided, I. But this isn’t the right time to talk about it]. Eyes on the ball muna siguro tayo, doon sa kalamidad, doon sa pagtulong na dapat gawin [Perhaps, it should be eyes on the ball first, on the calamity, on the kind of help that we should give]," he said.

He refused to say if that decision included a complete senatorial slate, saying he will leave that issue to his group, the Nationalist People's Coalition.

"Hindi ako magsasalita para sa NPC. Bitbit ko ang sarili kong katawan kaugnay sa pagdesisyon matapos akong pumalo ng 40. Ang pagdesisyon ng partido susunod matapos yan [I will not speak for the NPC. I have decided only for myself after I reached 40. The decision of the party comes next]," he pointed out.

Escudero was sure of one thing though and that was the party's full support to whoever it would decide to endorse as its standard-bearer in 2010.

The senator called on other presidential aspirants to defer any political announcement at this point and instead focus on the problem at hand.

source: Inquirer.net