It’s final: Puno to stay at DILG

Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno declared yesterday that he would not run for Congress in the May 14 elections.

"I’m not running," Puno said, ending talk that he had a moist eye on the speakership in the House of Representatives.

Puno said he would not seek his old congressional seat in Antipolo but would remain as one of the key advisers of President Arroyo in the Cabinet cluster for security matters.

Puno told The STAR yesterday that it would be his younger brother, Robbie, who would run as KAMPI’s official administration candidate in their congressional district. As of now, he said, his brother would be running unopposed.

Puno dropped his original plans to run again for Congress even after he was recently elected chairman of the Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino (KAMPI), the political party of President Arroyo.

He said his change of heart was largely influenced by his desire to help keep the unity of all the Arroyo administration allies, in particular, the Lakas-Christian-Muslim Democrats (CMD) headed by Speaker Jose de Venecia.

When it was first reported that he would run anew for Congress, Puno noted it triggered talks and rumors of his supposed plans to challenge De Venecia in the House.

"So before these talks and rumors get a life of their own, when I don’t even want to run, I might as well declare it now that I am not running," Puno said.

Lakas stalwarts, headed by former President Fidel Ramos, earlier accused KAMPI of raiding the parties of their own political allies following the exodus of former Lakas members who jumped to KAMPI.

To date, Puno said, KAMPI has 67 members in the House of Representatives, 23 provincial governors, and 650 out of the 1,610 mayors all over the country.

"Most of them came from Lakas who left their party but would like to remain with the administration. In all of them, this is the case. So we cannot be accused of party-raiding," Puno pointed out.

Puno pointed out many of these former Lakas stalwarts opted to join KAMPI after their former party fielded candidates to oppose their election bids.

Known for his strategic political maneuvers, Puno dismissed charges by the opposition that he is masterminding the alleged plan of the administration to cheat in the coming elections to ensure the victory of certain candidates in the Lanao provinces and in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

He said the opposition is giving him too much credit.

In fact, he said, President Arroyo called him up last Thursday about the accusations of the Genuine Opposition (GO) that the administration "cheating machinery" is now being set up in Lanao and ARMM provinces.

"I told the President that I am willing to bring them (GO), with the media, to these areas where they say there will be cheating. I will bring them anywhere they think something crazy will take place so that if anything happens, we can show them we don’t tolerate it and we will respond to it," Puno said.

"After all, the Comelec deputized us," he stressed, referring to the Philippine National Police (PNP), which is attached to the DILG for supervision.

Puno, though, admitted he is helping in the campaign of his former Cabinet colleague, former presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor who is one of the 12 senatorial bets of the Team Unity.

Puno, who is turning 59 years old next month, explained his decision to stay in his Cabinet post is also related to personal health concerns. Barely a year into office, he underwent angioplasty in August last year.

"I don’t expect to stay in the Cabinet for another year and a half. Once the dust of the elections settles down, I think I can look for a more peaceful job like being appointed to an ambassador’s post," he quipped.

After all, Puno once served in the diplomatic service as the Philippine minister or political counselor in Washington DC from 1982-1986.