Drilon confirms talks on LP-NP coalition for 2007 polls

Senate President and Liberal Party head Franklin Drilon confirmed yesterday that talks are underway for a possible coalition between the LP and the Nacionalista Party (NP) in the 2007 elections.

Drilon said the proposal was first broached by LP chairman Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan, who suggested that the LP under

Drilon and the NP under Sen. Manuel Villar could form a "political third force" to help move the country past its present political stalemate.

"The proposal for a possible coalition between the LP and the NP in the 2007 elections was made by... Pangilinan some time ago," Drilon said. "I assume the discussions will soon be underway."

Prior to the merger talks, Pangilinan had been vocal about his support for Villar’s assumption of the Senate presidency when Congress resumes session on July 24.

Pangilinan and Villar belong to the so-called Wednesday Group in the Senate, which also includes Senators Joker Arroyo, Ralph Recto, Lito Lapid and Pia Cayetano as members. Pangilinan, Recto, Villar and Arroyo are up for re-election next year.

Arroyo once boasted that members of the Wednesday Group had reached "high posts" in the government. The group is counting former senator and now Vice President Noli de Castro as one of its members.

Villar will become the third most powerful man in the government should he assume the Senate presidency next month.

"I believe both the LP and the NP share a common vision on instituting the much-needed reforms in our present political party system," Drilon said.

In defending the proposed merger, Drilon explained that "both the LP and NP are relentlessly pushing for the establishment of ideology-based politics that will finally put an end to the ugly politics of personalities and patronage now prevailing in the Philippines."

He added that "we should choose our leaders according to the platform of government they can offer."

Recto, a member of the NP, told Senate reporters that LP and NP leaders may soon start talks regarding a possible merger to strengthen their senatorial, congressional and local line-ups in the 2007 polls.

With less than a year to go before the elections, Recto said he expected the leaders of the two parties to finalize the talks "between now and December."

Pangilinan assumed the chairmanship of the LP after erstwhile LP national chairman, Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, was "deemed resigned" from the party after holding a "rump" national assembly at the Manila Hotel earlier this year.