BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR

PRESIDENTIAL chief of staff Michael Defensor yesterday said he has decided to postpone his resignation to enable him to block efforts within the administration to mount a new People’s Initiative.

Defensor earlier said he would resign early this month so he could prepare to run for the Senate.

Defensor said a second People’s Initiative, which is being planned by Sigaw ng Bayan, will not be good for President Arroyo and the country and should therefore be stopped.

"Sa aking palagay, kailangang pigilan ito at sa punto de bista ng Malacañang ay hindi makakaganda para sa Presidente, para sa administrasyon at hindi makakaganda sa ating kinabukasan. At maari pang magdulot ng kaguluhan na ayaw nating mangyari sa ngayon sa gitna ng paglakas ng ating ekonomiya," he said.

Defensor said he does not know who are the actual people involved in the second PI and what their motives are.

He said Charter change should be pursued after the May elections and through a Constitutional Convention. He said this would erase suspicions that proponents are only after their own personal interests, including the possibility of extending their terms.

He said the Church-led December 17 prayer rally against Charter change showed that the people are against it. He said pushing for Cha-cha now through a people’s initiative could rekindle the people’s anger.

Defensor said he was not afraid of suffering the fate of former Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz Jr. who, after airing his opposition to the PI, ended up quitting the Cabinet.

He said many Cabinet members are of the position that Cha-cha through Con-Con should be done after the May elections.

While there is no one in the Cabinet or the Office of the President that is reported to be involved in the PI, Defensor said he has started talking to Cabinet men and other administration allies to dissuade them from pursuing PI now. He could continue doing this by staying in the Cabinet, Defensor said.

Defensor said the upcoming elections and the possibility he would be excluded in the administration’s senatorial lineup had nothing to do with his decision to campaign against the PI. He said he has long opposed it.

Gabriel Claudio, presidential adviser for political affairs, said the lineup has not been finalized because of the rising number of aspirants.

He also said several members of the administration coalition strongly oppose the inclusion of politicians perceived to be political butterflies or "balimbing."

"Maraming nagsasabi sa administrasyon na hangga’t maari, walang dual citizenship. ‘Ika nga, kung opposition, opposition dahil sila rin ang mapupulaan nito at umiiwas tayo sa ganoon klaseng kritisismo," he said.

He dismissed speculations that Senate President Manuel Villar and Senators Ralph Recto and Joker Arroyo have abandoned the administration. He said they have been with the administration since the beginning and, despite past events and developments, they have never left.

On reports that the three are being recruited by the opposition, Claudio said these have not been verified.

"Hindi natin maintindihan kung saan nanggagaling iyong ispekulasyon … We have always considered them to be part of the administration and we are not aware of any instance or circumstance na sila ay kumalas sa coalition," he said.

"But of course, iyong pagsapi nila o pagkakasama nila sa ticket ng administrasyon… ganoon din sa oposisyon, is a different matter," he added.