Froilan picks Vicente Camacho as running mate

Former governor Froilan C. Tenorio, who is angling for the Democratic Party’s support in hid bid to run for the gubernatorial post in this year’s election, has chosen businessman and former Retirement Fund board chair Vicente C. Camacho as his running mate.

At the same time, Tenorio, who was recently elected as Democratic Party chair, stepped down from his post following his filing of a letter of intent to run as governor.

“I resigned as chairman when I submitted my letter of intent,” he said in an interview yesterday.

As this developed, Sen. Luis Crisostimo, who is also seeking the Democratic Party’s gubernatorial endorsement, may be disqualified for allegedly not meeting the party’s by-laws.

Tenorio said that Crisostimo’s letter of intent came when he was still the chairman. Based on party records, he said, the senator is currently without a running mate. “That’s a requirement of our by-laws,” said Tenorio.

The party’s by-laws provide that the letter of intent of the candidate for governor and lieutenant governor must be submitted to the chair separately.

Tenorio said the deadline for submission of letters of intent ended on Feb. 1.

Further, the senator failed to pay his party fee of $1,500. Under the Democratic Party’s rules, all declarations/letters for candidacy “must be accompanied by a check for the filing/primary fee in order to be accepted.”

The senator, when reached yesterday, said, “They’re just using technicalities against me.”

He said the central committee should have been more forthcoming with its rules. “For me, the basis to qualify is whether you’re actively supporting the party,” he said.

Crisostimo said he has a running mate but chose not to make it public yet, believing that the party could address the issue about the gubernatorial primary first.

“They should have addressed it directly to the candidates and tell the candidates about the things to do. The central executive should pick up the two, then come up with a fee for a primary… I don’t know about these things. I just know that we should run the party according to the rules,” he said.

Crisostimo warned that, if rules are not properly implemented, the Election Commission may end up not certifying a candidate for the party.

Now that Tenorio has resigned, he said, the party should elect a new chair and adopt new governing rules on primaries “to allow everybody the opportunity” to get party endorsement.”

In the event, however, that he is not picked, Crisostimo said he does not intend to defect from the party. “I am a Democrat. Breaking away is out of the question.”

Meantime, former governor Tenorio said that Camacho, owner of Summer Holiday Hotel, is the best candidate for lieutenant governor, being a true-bloodied Democrat and a respectable individual.

“He’s been a Democrat ever since. He is a businessman and knows firsthand what’s happening in our business sector. He’s a man of vision,” said Tenorio.

Both Tenorio and Crisostimo welcomed the declaration of Reps. Heinz Hofschneider and David Apatang as independent gubernatorial candidates.

“I welcome them even to our party,” said Crisostimo.

For his part, Tenorio said the Heinz-David tandem would be good for the Democrat. “The more Republican candidates the better. They are all Republicans—the governor, the House Speaker, and Heinz.”

The NMI Republican Party endorsed Monday the re-election bid of Gov. Juan N. Babauta and Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente.

The next day, Republican Rep. Heinz Hofschneider and independent Rep. David Apatang declared that they will be running in the gubernatorial race as independent candidates.

Covenant Party’s standard-bearer consists of House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial and Vice Speaker Timothy Villagomez.

Tenorio, meantime, said that the Democratic Party will hold a meeting next week to choose its own standard bearer for the next elections.

He said the party is now headed by vice chair Richard Duenas.