Drilon’s LP faction consolidates forces

Liberal Party (LP) members loyal to Senate President Franklin Drilon began to consolidate their ranks against the faction led by Manila Mayor Lito Atienza.

This developed as ranking leaders of the party informed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that Atienza and his supporters were now considered resigned from the LP.

"They have crossed the Rubicon, we have already filed a case before the Commission on Elections, Bukidnon Rep. Nereus Acosta announced before the weekly Kapihan Sa Sulo Hotel forum in Quezon City yesterday.

Acosta added the party’s national executive council (NECO) will convene its 102 members to fill the vacancy created by the faction led by Atienza.

Three past presidents of the LP also expressed their support for Drilon in the ongoing conflict within the party.

In a joint statement, former senator Wigberto Tanada, Northern Samar governor Raul Daza and former education secretary and Batanes congressman Florencio Abad echoed the argument of Drilon that the election of new LP officers last Thursday was illegal.

They claimed Atienza, as the party’s chairman, had employed deception in calling the LP members to the conference at the Manila Hotel, not to discuss decentralization, autonomy and governance as promised, but to use the party convention to elect new officers.

"Obviously the conference could not be converted into a party meeting to elect new officers," the three said in the statement.

Although LP president emeritus Jovito Salonga was not among the signatories of the statement, Abad said the former senator is expected to issue a separate statement on the issue.

Atienza led the party convention last Thursday in a move to oust Drilon and widened an already deep fissure within the LP.

Atienza launched the takeover and replaced Drilon as president. Presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor was elected party chairman.

Drilon described the meeting as an "illegal snap election" and said its results were not binding.

He explained that under party rules, Atienza’s powers as chairman were merely ceremonial and said he could not convene a meeting of the national executive committee.

At the Kapihan sa Sulo news forum, Abad said Atienza and the party officials who led what he called a "rump convention" had effectively resigned from the party.

Abad led the former LP presidents in insisting that the NECO was the only body empowered by the party constitution to authorize the election of a new set of officers under orders of the party president.

"Only the party president — Franklin Drilon — is authorized to convene it. He (did) not convene the Manila hotel conference," their statement said.

Because of the development, Abad said the NECO would convene next week to elect new set of officers and fill the vacancies vacated by the breakaway group.

Party stalwart Jun Abaya, for his part, said they already knew that a meeting would be called but they never expected a coup.

"We expected them (Atienza and supporters) to be gentlemen and women… and not hit below the belt," Abaya said.

Drilon had claimed Malacañang was behind his ouster as LP president and branded Atienza and his supporters as "pro-GMA."

But other LP members in the House of Representatives called on Drilon to stop blaming President Arroyo for the rift in the party.

Blaming Drilon

Malabon-Navotas Rep. Federico Sandoval II and Manila Rep. Ernesto "Banzai" Nieva said Drilon was to blame for the divisions and for his own failure to respect the opinions of his party mates in supporting Mrs. Arroyo.

"It is indeed unfortunate and regrettable that one of the respected political parties in the country is now divided because of the political crisis," they said.

"But we remain hopeful that we could still find ways to mend fences and help the country strengthen our political system," Sandoval said.

Sandoval also dispelled allegations that Atienza’s election as the new LP president did not have the backing of a majority of party members.

"I personally witnessed the attendance of so many local executives including mayors and governors from the provinces who supported Mayor Atienza as LP president.

"More so, 16 of the 28 LP congressmen were present," he claimed.

Sandoval maintained Mrs. Arroyo had nothing to do with the internal affairs of the party. He said the issue of unifying the LP was now the task of its leaders.

Nieva also said Drilon should not use Mrs. Arroyo as a scapegoat for his failure to unite the LP.

"It’s not GMA’s fault if his party mates refused to stay and recognize him as LP President. The election of Mayor Atienza as LP President was a collective decision by the LP members who attended the national assembly. The President never interfered in our affairs," Nieva stressed.

Nieva claimed the recent developments could only be blamed on Drilon for ignoring the position and opinions of his party mates.

He pointed out Drilon’s announcement on July 8 last year asking Mrs. Arroyo to step down "did not reflect the general sentiment of the LP members."

‘Lakas Pala’

Following the row between Drilon and Atienza, LP earned the nickname "Lakas Pala" and "Lapian ng Pangulo," apparently referring to the supposed intervention of Mrs. Arroyo.

Malacañang, however, kept its distance from the LP row, saying the issues were internal affairs of the party that its officers and members must resolve.

Defensor and Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye pointed out Mrs. Arroyo could not possibly influence the decision of the LP members.

"Maybe it’s best not to comment further," Bunye said.

"This is internal to the LP. The president cannot influence 500 people in one snap of a finger and tell them, ‘You ask these people (Drilon and others) to vacate these positions and elect a new set of officers,’" Defensor added.

"It took time for us members to have some soul-searching," he said.

Defensor claimed Drilon was to blame since he had been remiss in his duties as party president for failing to unite the members, or at least promote respect for their differing positions.

According to Defensor, there had been efforts to convince Drilon to resolve his differences with Atienza but the LP president simply ignored the pleas.

He said the Palace was not working to eventually oust Drilon as Senate president but "definitely in the party, we have a very firm position, the leaders of the party, including the mass membership are strongly behind Lito Atienza as party president."

As the majority faction, Atienza’s group would win even if the case were brought before the courts, he said.

Defensor said he was willing to give up his new position as LP chairman for the sake of harmony and unity in the party.

"We have to call on everyone to sit down and talk because the LP cannot function as two factions. We should be one," Defensor said. — With Marvin Sy, Delon Porcalla, Aurea Calica