MANILA, Philippines ? Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. will resign from his post "in two to three weeks" in preparation for his 2010 presidential bid.

But Gabriel Claudio, presidential political adviser, said that there was ?no urgency? in Teodoro?s resignation, pointing out that the defense chief was still preoccupied with his work as chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council in the aftermath of two powerful storms.

Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said: ?It's his call [when to resign].?

Teodoro issued his statement in an interview aired over radio dzMM on Friday, a day after Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane tendered his resignation to pursue a political office.

Teodoro was declared by the administration backed Lakas-Kampi party as its "preferred" presidential candidate with Local Government Secretary Reynaldo Puno as his running mate.