Provincial execs bolt Lakas

Local officials belonging to the Lakas Christian and Muslim Democrats are beginning to bolt the ruling party amid mounting efforts to oust Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., one of the founders of Lakas.

Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone said he has resigned from Lakas-CMD as a member of the party’s national directorate along with 14 mayors in his province.

He said he already sent his resignation letter to De Venecia through Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, the party secretary-general, and informed him that he would not attend the national directorate meeting on Feb. 7, which coincides with Lakas-CMD’s 15th anniversary.

“In my letter, I thanked Lakas for all the support it has extended to me in the last elections,” Evardone told reporters.

His resignation was a major blow to the party’s efforts to consolidate after disgruntled congressmen led by presidential sons Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo and Camarines Sur Rep. Dato Arroyo moved to oust De Venecia as House speaker.

Evardone is also secretary-general and spokesman for the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines.

Earlier, Candaba Mayor Gerry Pelayo said seven Lakas-CMD mayors from Pampanga would bolt the party and join the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) founded by President Arroyo in 1997.

Pelayo directly linked the resignation of the Pampanga mayors from Lakas to the campaign to oust De Venecia.

Many congressmen calling for De Venecia’s ouster belong to Kampi.

“My resignation has nothing to do with the speakership row,” Evardone said. “Where the President is, I would be there.”

He refused to directly say whether he would join Kampi but admitted he would be meeting some of its officials in Malacañang today.

“I would like to better serve my constituents,” he said when asked why he decided to bolt Lakas-CMD. “I resigned so that I can join the party close to her (Mrs. Arroyo’s) heart.”

Administration officials said more local officials from Lakas would also resign ahead of the party’s meeting.

Other sources said Lakas-CMD is also facing financial difficulties which is why its meeting has been postponed several times.

Mrs. Arroyo is also national chairwoman of Lakas and De Venecia is president. This puts the speaker in a difficult spot since he has been accused as behind the attacks against the First Family in connection with the ZTE national broadband scandal.