Arroyo invites De Castro to join admin party - report

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has invited Vice President Noli de Castro to join the administration party so that he could be among the choices for standard-bearer in next year's national elections, a television report said Thursday. In his report in "Saksi," GMA News' Ivan Mayrina said this was disclosed by De Castro himself in an interview with reporters. "Karangalan ko na mai-consider nila kung saka-sakali't ako'y mag-decide na tumakbo (It's my pleasure to be invited by them just in case I decided to run next year)," he said.

De Castro is yet to make a categorical statement on his political plans for the May 2010 elections, but he has admitted in earlier interviews that he would not settle for less than the presidency in case he runs. De Castro was among the invited guests when administration parties Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) and Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) merged last May 28 in preparation for the 2010 polls. Among those who had expressed intentions to run for president under the administration are Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando. Fernando on Wednesday said he is confident that he would get President Arroyo's endorsement despite his lackluster performance in presidential preference surveys. - GMANews.TV