Reacting to the biting criticisms made by Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero on President Arroyo’s ninth State of the Nation Address (Sona) delivered last Monday, presidential son Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo, in a dzMM interview, slammed the senator, saying that while Escudero publicly criticizes his mother and her administration, he uses back channels to get his mother to support his presidential bid in 2010.

Arroyo also blasted Escudero for

saying that his mother failed to give a categorical statement on her political plans, pointing out that if Escudero did not believe she is leaving Malacañang, why is he seeking his mother’s support for 2010?

Escudero, however, has been quoted as saying that he will not leave the opposition and will not run under an administration ticket, in response to reports that the Lakas-Kampi-CMD is looking at having either Escudero or Sen. Manuel Villar as the party standard bearer.

A Tribune source from the administration camp yesterday said that "there are many members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition who are engaged in ‘back channel’ negotiations with Malacañang for the President to support the presidential candidacy of Chiz" but he refused to identify the members, saying it is obvious that the "NPC members know they need the support of the President to win in a presidential election.

The source also added that it is not only the NPC that is lobbying for the President’s support. "There is also back channeling from the camp of Villar," he said.

Villar was also quoted as saying that he will be running under the banner of the Nacionalista Party but that the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party members welcome their joining the NP.

The source, however, said that such public reactions are understandable. "They don’t want to publicly be identified with Malacañang, but privately, they all seek the support of the President.

Meanwhile, questions and more speculations reverberated as different interpretations were made of statements left by Mrs. Arroyo in her Sona concerning her highly-challenged future political plans and the issue of Charter change.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde explained that Mrs. Arroyo’s future political plans should neither be addressed nor detailed in the Sona because it is a personal matter.

"The political plans of the president isn’t part of the State of the Nation. That the state of the Pesident," Remonde said, adding that they did not expect such to be included in the address.

"For as long as they do not hear President Arroyo say: ‘I am going to step down and give you the authority’, the critics from the opposition are never going to stop. We have to accept that reality," Remonde added.

"The problem with other people is that they have their own truths. They only want to listen to what they want to hear and believe in. That’s the problem. They have their vested interests, perceptions, notions...if the president’s words or statements did not go well with their plans or agendas, they rebuke it." Remonde stated.

But the press secretary also set the tone, undenial of the fact that Mrs. Arroyo wants political reforms through Charter change. He said this issue is only meant for those who are pretending to be blind as he insisted that the country really needs such reforms. He asserted that the Charter change push is being treated by her detractors to make it appear that she’s using this move as an opportunity for her to have a firm grip to power.

"Again, this issue is for those who are pretending to be blind. Because if you’ll look at the House Resolution, it is clear in the provision that says: whatever changes to be made in the charter will not extend the term of the president nor extend the term of office of the incumbents. But after having said ‘yes’, as I’ve said the president has always been for political reforms, for Charter change, but it does not mean that it has has to happen here.

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