Barbers to NPC: Rethink junking House coalition

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — A ranking administration congressman gave an unsolicited advice to his colleagues in the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) to "think over" their reported plans to bolt from the Rainbow Coalition in the House of Representatives.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said the NPC congressmen must seriously consider the strength of the ruling coalition before making any move to break away.

"It would be the political machinery of the ruling coalition, specifically Lakas-CMD, that would play a decisive factor during the upcoming political exercise," Barbers said.

The Surigao lawmaker made the statement over reports that NPC congressmen are planning to bolt from the ruling coalition in protest to the failure of the House to push through with the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr.

Much to the chagrin of pro-impeachment congressmen led by the NPC, Speaker Jose de Venecia has declared the House will follow the Supreme Court ruling in declaring the impeachment move against Davide as unconstitutional.

De Venecia is the leader of the ruling coalition where several political parties, including the NPC of businessman Eduardo Cojuangco, are allied with the administration Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats.

Barbers said even the militant party-list congressmen, with the exception of Bayan Muna, have manifested their continued support to the ruling coalition.

Barbers declared that even if the NPC, the second largest political party in the House, will break off from the ruling coalition, this will not affect the political alliance with other parties.

At the same time, Barbers declared that Lakas’ candidate, President Arroyo, will emerge as the sure winner in the presidential race in 2004 even with action star Fernando Poe Jr. and opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson contending.

Barbers also urged his fellow Mindanaoans to rally behind the vice presidential bid of his father, Sen. Robert Barbers.

He reiterated the need for a Mindanaoan to sit in one of the top two highest elected positions in the country.

"While more than 50 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) comes from Mindanao, the national budget only allocates about 30 percent for Mindanao. The disparity is so great that we must have to move now for Mindanao to attain real progress and development," Barbers stressed.

Barbers claimed Lakas is ready to endorse his father’s candidacy.

"My father has repeatedly said that his candidacy must be endorsed by the ruling Lakas-CMD. We are prepared and once the party decides to endorse him, there will be no turning back," he said.

He said Mindanao’s political leaders have already expressed willingness to cross party lines to support his father’s candidacy.

"I am thankful to the different political leaders and groupings in Mindanao, who already had signified their support to my father’s candidacy. Mindanaoans should rally behind Senator Barbers. If we cannot do it now, we will have to wait another 20 years and see if we can put up a Mindanaoan candidate for President or Vice President," the Surigao lawmaker said.

The incumbent Vice President Teofisto Guingona is also from Mindanao, but he is not running for any elective post next year.