Bongbong ousted from KBL after joining Nacionalista Party

MANILA, Philippines - The National Executive Committee of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) has dismissed Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos as a member of the party founded by his father and namesake, the late former President Ferdinand Marcos, after he joined the Nacionalista Party (NP), a top KBL official disclosed yesterday.

Jamil Dianalan, KBL vice chairman for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), claimed that the consensus of the party leadership was to disown the alliance recently forged by the young Marcos between the KBL and the NP, which is led by Sen. Manny Villar.

Dianalan told The STAR that the party would inform the Commission on Elections of their decision to delist Marcos as a party member because he already resigned as KBL president after party officials refused to withdraw the nomination of Joselito “Peter” Cayetano as one of their senatorial candidates during the 2007 elections.

He said the party officials would also inform former first lady Imelda Marcos, who is honorary chairman of KBL.

The alliance forged by Marcos with the NP has compromised the lineup of KBL candidates at the provincial and congressional levels, since the party will field its own candidates in the coming election.

“KBL candidates would be running against NP (bets) in the local level so how can our party coalesce with NP?” Dianalan said.

He said lawyer Vicente Millora, current chairman of KBL, was the one who revived the party after the EDSA People Power revolt in 1986 and the Comelec had accredited the party as one of six major political parties in the country.

The KBL, which was then headed by former Speaker Nicanor Yniguez, wanted to deactivate the party but hard-core members led by Millora worked for the accreditation of the party.

Dianalan said the KBL had endorsed the candidacies of the Marcoses including Imelda, Imee and Bongbong when they ran for congressional seats in Leyte and Ilocos Norte.

“Marcos (Bongbong) could no longer speak for the KBL, the party has nothing to do with his alliance with Villar,” said Dianalan.

Dianalan said the KBL will officially announce on Friday its lineup and adopted candidates in the 2010 elections.

Meanwhile, the NP remained optimistic that Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo will accept Bongbong Marcos as part of the NP’s senatorial slate.

Villar said the two groups with opposing ideologies should focus on issues against poverty rather than on personalities.

“There has to be focus. We should be able to reach our goal to end poverty,” Villar said during his speech at the Sarabia Manor Hotel in Iloilo City where hundreds of supporters witnessed the oath taking of over a hundred local leaders of the NP.

NP spokesman former Rep. Gilbert Remulla said there are ongoing talks between NP and Ocampo’s camp following news that Ocampo and Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza Maza might decide to run as independent bets.  

Remulla downplayed the attacks of former Akbayan party-list Rep. Etta Rosales who issued a statement against the coalition of NP and KBL.

Marcos was also present in yesterday’s oath taking of new party members and clarified that his decision to join NP is more in support of its ideals and goals to uplift the lives of the poor.

Bongbong warns Noynoy

Marcos warned Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III not to accept the endorsement of former President Fidel V. Ramos.

“His (Ramos) endorsement could be considered a kiss of death. I pity the presidential candidate who will be endorsed by FVR (Ramos),” he said in a statement.

He said Ramos could be a liability “because of his involvement in numerous scams.”

Marcos said among Ramos’ controversial projects are the multi-billion independent power producers (IPP) contracts, the Public Estate Authority-Amari deal and the Centennial Expo and Smokey Mountain scandals.

During martial law, Ramos was Constabulary chief.

In February 1986, he and then defense secretary and now Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile spearheaded a civilian-backed military mutiny that led to the downfall of the late dictator.

The young Marcos was in his late 20s when his father fell from power.

Ramos later served as defense secretary of the late President Corazon Aquino, Sen. Aquino’s mother.

Mrs. Aquino endorsed Ramos’ quest for the presidency in 1992.

Marcos gave a similar warning to former defense chief Gilbert Teodoro Jr., who is Lakas-Kampi’s presidential candidate.

He said the administration candidate should decline an endorsement by Ramos.

“FVR’s endorsement could make things worse for former Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro. There’s no way he can recover from poor ratings if he gets endorsed by FVR,” he said.

He advised Ramos “to take a rest from politics and just allow the younger generation of politicians to do their thing.”

“He’s (Ramos) too old. Politics won’t do him any good, what would be better for him is to take care of his health and make sure he takes a lot of rest and regularly monitors his heart condition,” he said. – With Christina Mendez, Jess Diaz