MANILA, Philippines?Gilbert ``Gibo?? Teodoro has resigned as chairman of the Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats, but will remain as standard-bearer of the administration party.

In a letter sent to the national executive committee of the party, he said he wanted to do away with the rigorous tasks of attending to the needs of members and focus on his presidential campaign.

"Effective immediately I am resigning as chairman of our party so that I can focus all my efforts campaigning for the presidency of the country as the official candidate of Lakas-Kampi-CMD," he said in his letter.

"The party needs at this time a full time Chairman who will be able to respond on a 24/7 basis to the needs of our party candidates running for various elective posts this coming elections," he added.

Reggie Velasco, Lakas-Kampi-CMD deputy secretary general, said being an ordinary member would allow Teodoro to give more time to his campaign, rather than attend to party matters.

"We have 18,000 candidates and most of them want to have a meeting with him for their campaign requirements. It's a 24/7 thing, which he could no longer attend to," Velasco said in a phone interview.

Velasco said the national executive committee would meet to discuss Teodoro's replacement after Holy Week.

Teodoro has remained in fourth place in various presidential surveys, but his camp said they would bank on the support of their local candidates to deliver for him the win in the May elections.