PPC will remain solid, Guingona says

"We will just have to win them back again."

That was how Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. dismissed reports that the opposition is on the verge of persuading the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) to break away from the ruling People Power Coalition (PPC).

Guingona, president of the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party, admitted over the weekend the party will have to reassess its relations with the NPC and its other partners in the ruling coalition PPC during a caucus of its national directorate on Oct. 7.

But the Lakas-CMD leadership is not worried over the possible breakup of the PPC, saying the party will just have to "win back" coalition partners who may be seduced by the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) party into joining the opposition.

Keeping the PPC intact, he explained, was the responsibility of Speaker Jose de Venecia, Lakas-CMD co-chairman, whose "Sunshine Coalition" majority in the House of Representatives was gleaned from the PPC.

Lakas stalwart Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano said in a statement that "the Sunshine Coalition in the House of Representatives is strong and intact" and deplored attempts by some quarters to "simulate a possible breakup" of the coalition.

Albano said "there will be no shakeup in the House leadership ladder as all chairmanships of standing and special committees remain as is."

This means, Albano said, "all chairmen belonging to the coalition parties, specially from the NPC, Nacionalista Party and the Liberal Party will remain chairmen."

But, according to Guingona, the Sunshine Coalition has been shaky since early July when disgruntled congressmen grumbled against De Venecia over pork barrel funds, Guingona said.

Lakas-CMD leaders charged that the NPC has since been "raiding" the ranks of Lakas-CMD for members supportive of the presidential bid of businessman and NPC founder Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco, the Vice President added.

Guingona said most Lakas-CMD members are "waiting, watching and whispering" about possible political alliances which cannot yet be explored because of President Arroyo’s indecision on whether she will run in the May 10, 2004 elections. Mrs. Arroyo is Lakas-CMD co-chairman.

Guingona said last week that a split within the Lakas-CMD was "virtually a reality" but party leaders have since worked hard to solve some unspecified "internal problems."

Guingona expressed the party’s resolve to stick together after NPC president emeritus Ernesto Maceda said Cojuangco was not hoping to run under the PPC banner and that the NPC was open to the unification efforts LDP chairman Sen. Edgardo Angara.

Maceda said Cojuangco had always planned to run as an opposition candidate although the NPC is a member of the Sunshine Coalition.

Angara proposed on Friday that all opposition parties unite behind one presidential-vice presidential ticket next year.

Maceda responded by saying the NPC was ready to create a panel to help forge the coalition and that the panel members will be announced during an executive council meeting to be presided by Cojuangco himself.