Manila: Philippine Vice-President Noli De Castro on Monday said he is supporting Senator Mar Roxas, the vice presidential candidate of opposition Liberal Party.
He did not however, say if he also backing the candidacy of Roxas's running mate Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.
De Castro, a popular television news anchor before joining politics who has stood by President Gloria Arroyo throughout her term, opted not to stand for election and is reportedly considering a media comeback.
De Castro and Roxas were members of Arroyo's cabinet with the vice-president holding the housing and anti-poverty portfolio while the latter was trade secretary from 2000 to 2003.
As this developed, House Speaker Prospero Nograles has left the ruling Lakas-CMD party and is allegedly planning to join the camp of former Senate President Manuel Villar, a Philippine Daily Inquirer report said.
Disarray
"The administration party is out of control. It is in total disarray, contrary to what is being bandied about in the media," Nograles said.
"I am a senior officer of the party. They [other party leaders] make decision without briefing us. They don't even call us. I don't even get any text [message] saying ‘hi' or ‘hello' from them. So what's the use of being with the administration party?" he said.
Nograles is running for mayor in Davao City against Vice-Mayor Sara Duterte, daughter of his rival and incumbent Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
