Alvarez: No alliance yet between LP, PDP-Laban

MANILA, Philippines - The proposed alliance between the incoming ruling party PDP-Laban and the Liberal Party of the outgoing administration remains up in the air, Davao del Norte representative-elect Pantaleon Alvarez said yesterday.

“There’s nothing yet. There’s no coalition with the LP yet… although there are suggestions, nothing has been agreed upon,” Alvarez told reporters shortly before administering the oath of loyalty of the new PDP-Laban members from the LP.

The LP continues to be hit by defections to the emerging ruling party.

PDP-Laban is the political party of president-elect Rodrigo Duterte, who anointed Alvarez to be the speaker of the House of Representatives in the 17th Congress.

“As long as they will support the majority and the programs of  the incoming administration, why not?” Alvarez said.

He added Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., LP vice chairman, earlier proposed a formal alliance between his party and PDP-Laban as a large majority of LP members was supporting Alvarez and the incoming Duterte administration anyway.

Two weeks ago, some 50 LP lawmakers signed a manifesto of support for Alvarez and Duterte to pave the way for the signing of a formal coalition agreement.

Alvarez is almost done in forming a majority coalition to be led by PDP-Laban. He has forged formal ties with other political blocs, including Lakas-CMD, the Nationalist People’s Coalition, the Nacionalista Party, the National Unity Party (NUP) and the Party-List Coalition.

The agreement meant the PDP-Laban cannot raid its allied parties to boost its ranks. This leaves the LP open for raiding.

The PDP-Laban had only three members in the House after the May 9 elections. As of yesterday, its ranks grew to about 60 members, mostly from the LP.

Yesterday, the NUP formalized its ties with PDP-Laban. The NUP is chaired by former interior secretary Ronaldo Puno, who had acted as one of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s campaign strategists in the last presidential campaign.

Nine LP members took their oaths with PDP-Laban, including Iloilo Rep. Jerry Treñas and Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento.

Alvarez said he expected to meet Belmonte last night or today to resolve the matter.

He also disclosed that he has repeatedly invited Belmonte to join the majority bloc.