'Lakas originals a washed-out group with no clout'

MANILA, Philippines - Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno yesterday belittled the move of former President Fidel Ramos and Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. to bolt from the Lakas-Kampi-CMD coalition, saying it was merely a ploy by a “washed-out” group to call attention to themselves.

Puno, co-vice chairman of the merged Lakas-Kampi-CMD, said the move by Ramos and De Venecia’s group to question the merger before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) was a desperate effort “of people with no public support” to speak of.

“Their moves are really suspect,” Puno remarked.

Puno questioned the timing of the move. He said Ramos and De Venecia should have made the effort to talk with party leaders in late May or early June, shortly after the merger took place.

Speaker Prospero Nograles, co-vice chairman of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, also downplayed the reported revolt by original Lakas members led by Ramos and De Venecia.

He said the merger remains strong and the two administration parties remain united despite the move by some of its disgruntled members.

“We remain solid and united despite the media noise created by former Speaker Joe de V,” Nograles said, referring to the group of Ramos and De Venecia.

Both Ramos and De Venecia, along with scores of Lakas members, decided on Monday to coalesce with other political groups and support their own presidential candidate in next year’s elections.

Nograles belittled the strength of the Ramos-De Venecia faction, saying it is composed of “retired and inactive former Lakas renegades whose names may long have been removed from our list of active members as they have not been attending our party meetings.”

Malacañang also belittled the threat of Ramos and De Venecia to break away and join the opposition.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said it would be better for De Venecia to wait for the Comelec to decide on his petition.

Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio said De Venecia was apparently using Ramos for his political agenda.

Ermita said it was understandable that Ramos would appear with De Venecia in the meetings with Lakas originals since most of those who attended were his friends.

Ermita though refused to answer questions on where Ramos’ sympathy lay.

“I don’t want to claim to speak for President Ramos. The former president is a founder and chairman emeritus of the party,” he said.

He said many presidential candidates and political leaders from various parties have sought Ramos’ advice so it was not surprising that the former president would be present in such a gathering.

A militant lawmaker also agreed with the observation of Lakas-Kampi-CMD party leaders.

Anakpawis Rep. Joel Maglunsod went on to describe the Ramos and De Venecia faction as a group of “has beens.”

Maglunsod said Ramos and De Venecia merely wanted to make a political comeback because of their waning influence.

Maglunsod said the show of force by Ramos and De Venecia in leading over 50 of Lakas originals was mere political posturing to ensure the continuity of their interest in the next administration.

Maglunsod said the protest of the two Lakas originals against the merger of Lakas-Kampi-CMD could only be a strategy for the group of Ramos and De Venecia to have political leverage on winnable presidential aspirants, especially now that they are outside the graces of President Arroyo.

Administration ally Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, for her part, said the move of Ramos and De Venecia to stay away from Lakas-Kampi-CMD would eventually weaken the merger.

“Naturally it makes the coalition weaker. To what extent it is weakened is the question. It is not really a question of parting from the administration coalition because all the time those two people (Ramos and De Venecia) have been working against the administration,” she said.

Santiago said Ramos and De Venecia are no big loss to President Arroyo because they have been criticizing her already.

‘Publicity stunt’

Nograles also expressed doubt on whether Ramos supported the decision of De Venecia and his supporters to coalesce with other groups and support their own candidates in May 2010.

Nograles noted Ramos told an interviewer that he only attended a social gathering of party mates.

“He (Ramos) refused to comment till the Comelec decides on the legality of the merger. That’s the prudent thing to do,” he said.

Nograles and Puno are vice chairmen of Lakas-Kampi, which is chaired by President Arroyo.

The merged parties have offered the post of chairman emeritus to Ramos, but the former leader rejected the offer, saying he preferred to remain chairman emeritus only of Lakas, which he founded with De Venecia in 1992.

Earlier, House Deputy Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said Ramos’ rejection of the Lakas-Kampi offer was apparently in preparation for the eventual breakaway of the former president, De Venecia and their followers.

“They want to have a say in the selection of the presidential candidate that their group will support,” he said.

It was De Venecia who convened Monday’s meeting at his residence in Forbes Park, Makati City.

Among those who attended were Ramos’ sister former senator Leticia Ramos Shahani and former congressmen Toti Cariño of Pasig, Jose Tan Ramirez of Samar and Jose Cabochan of Bulacan, and former interior secretary Cesar Sarino.

As far as Lakas-Kampi-CMD spokesman Antonio Alvarez is concerned, the gathering “will not at all affect the merger” of Lakas and Kampi.

Puno also said the meeting of Lakas originals would not in any way affect the merger. He said those who attended the meeting do not even occupy elective positions.

Puno expressed confidence the Comelec would rule in favor of the merger.

He pointed out the issue is about determining the dominant majority party in the 2010 elections before the Comelec.

“We have the great majority of elected officials throughout the country and one of the major criteria for the designation of dominant majority and a dominant opposition party are the elected public officials, not the so-called founders, so-called original group. It has to do with the active party members who are actually occupying elective positions,” he said.

Puno urged the group to discuss their differences with their former allies.

Alvarez, on the other hand, said De Venecia is just creating a “publicity stunt” in calling for the meeting of Lakas originals.

“This is only JDV’s political show to support his petition before Commission on Elections against the merged parties. He wants to make it appear that Lakas is still there, otherwise he can’t justify his opposition to the merger,” the Palawan congressman said.

Alvarez said De Venecia’s political stunt may be aimed at showing a presidential candidate, particularly Sen. Manny Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP), that he still has political clout.

“This political posturing of JDV is normal to show that he still has the clout, especially with the report that he will support Sen. Villar. If he has no following, what do you think he will show to Sen. Villar?” he said.

NP secretary general Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said they are willing to accommodate De Venecia and his supporters.

Another Lakas-Kampi stalwart, Rep. Rodolfo Antonino of Nueva Ecija, also said the show of force will not affect their political party.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando also hoped the rift in the ruling coalition with the breakaway group of Ramos and De Venecia would be patched up before the administration standard-bearer for the 2010 elections is selected.

Fernando though admitted the possible split would benefit Lakas.

“A majority of those in the Lakas-Kampi coalition came from Lakas-CMD,” he said.

He added the total unity of the two parties could still be attained if both can agree on who will be their standard-bearer in the 2010 elections. –With Jess Diaz, Paolo Romero, Delon Porcalla, Christina Mendez, Dino Balabo