FVR, Lakas originals split from coalition

MANILA, Philippines - Original members of the administration party Lakas led by former President Fidel Ramos and Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. decided yesterday to break away from the Lakas-Kampi-CMD and form a new coalition with other political parties and support their own presidential candidate in next year’s elections.

At the same time, the group, composed of more than 50 members calling themselves the Lakas Originals, declared that the merger of Lakas and Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) last May 28 was illegal and null and void.

In a statement issued after the meeting at De Venecia’s residence in Forbes Park, Makati, the group quoted Ramos as saying the merger was “highly irregular” and violated the constitution and bylaws of Lakas.

Members of the Lakas-Ramos-De Venecia wing said their party is still a “reigning party” since its merger with Kampi was not approved by the Lakas national assembly and the new officers were elected illegally.

President Arroyo was elected chairman of the merged Lakas-Kampi-CMD, with Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Speaker Prospero Nograles as co-vice chairmen.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita was chosen party president and Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio as secretary-general.

Reached for comment, Nograles said he was not aware of the meeting held and the decisions made by the Lakas Originals.

The Ramos-De Venecia faction created a committee that will decide which political parties it will coalesce with. The committee will also choose the presidential candidate it will support.

De Venecia was chosen to chair the panel, with Ramos’ sister former Sen. Leticia Shahani, former interior secretary Cesar Sarino, Ramos’ media handler Ed Malay, former Samar Rep. Jose Tan Ramirez, Marieta Primicias Goco and former Pasig Rep. Toti Carino as members.

During the meeting, Ramos reportedly emphasized the international character of Lakas-CMD (Christian Muslim Democrats), which is affiliated with Christian Democrats International.

CDI is composed of more than 100 political parties worldwide, and its members include German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

De Venecia is a CDI vice president, chairman of CDI Asia-Pacific and chairman of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties, which is meeting in Kazakhstan this month.

More than two weeks ago, Ramos announced that he was not accepting merged Lakas-Kampi-CMD’s offer to be its chairman emeritus but said he would keep his post as Lakas chairman emeritus.

He said Mrs. Arroyo merged the two parties without consulting Lakas leaders like him.

He aired the same misgivings before the May 28 merger. After that, it was reported that Ermita and Claudio met with him and that they were able to patch up their differences over a bottle of expensive cognac.

Ermita and Claudio have announced that they would meet again with Ramos, their former Palace boss.

Ramos said he would listen but that no “expensive dinners” could convince him to support the Lakas-Kampi merger.

He was referring to the costly steaks, lobsters, wine, escargot, and soft shell crab that Mrs. Arroyo and her large entourage enjoyed during her recent visit to the United States.

Two members of her entourage, Representatives Martin Romualdez of Leyte and Danilo Suarez of Quezon, reportedly paid $35,000 for the two expensive dinners in New York and Washington. 

The Lakas Originals met at the Makati residence of De Venecia, and passed a resolution reaffirming “former President Ramos as chairman-emeritus, De Venecia as party president and many of those in attendance as the duly elected officers of the party.

Amado Valdez, the Lakas Originals’ lawyer, explained that those elected last March 10, 2008 at the Manila Hotel were illegally elected, and the subsequent appointees of President Arroyo as officials of Lakas-Kampi were likewise illegal.

Among those who attended the meeting were former Sen. Santanina Rasul, former Reps. Jose Tan Ramirez, Bert Lumauig, Mars Pineda, and Bojie Cabochan, former cooperative chairman Bert Zingapan, Col. Willy de la Cruz, former Social Security System commissioner Ildefonso Remolona, Fernando Peña, former transportation secretary Luis Lagdameo, Boy Saycon, Lakas treasurer Tony Vilar, Wainright Rivera, deputy Lakas secretary general Luis Corral, columnist Chit Pedrosa, Ramos’ son-in-law Freddie Jalasco, ex-mayor Felipe Siapno, Vice-Mayor Teddy Manaois, Malvar Rama, June Battung, Mary Ann Robles, Lakas CMD’s deputy executive director.

Palace downplays meeting

Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio, the chief architect of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD merger, however, downplayed the meeting and expressed belief that Ramos was more objective than the group portrayed him to be.

He also noted that most of those who attended the meeting were incumbent officials, implying that they do not have much influence with their elected party mates.

“Obviously they want to enlist the support of other Lakas-Kampi-CMD but we are not belittling them. Let’s just wait for the decision of the Comelec,“ Claudio told The STAR in a telephone interview.

He said it was “awfully premature for the group” to talk about alliances with other party when the Comelec has yet to rule on their motion.

“By what basis are they representing the party? Precisely the case has yet to be decided by the Comelec,” Claudio said. –With Paolo Romero