MANILA, Philippines - The once powerful party Lakas-Kampi-NUCD is apparently on the decline, with party officials resigning and local members joining the Liberal Party (LP) of President Aquino and other political parties to ensure their political future in the 2013 midterm election, a senior Lakas member said yesterday.
Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez told reporters during the weekly news forum at the Rembrandt Hotel in Quezon City that Lakas started to deteriorate when thes LP began raiding its ranks in the House of Representatives, and the biggest loss was Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, who recently resigned as House minority leader and Lakas chairman.
“It’s a political reality that we must accept, it happened in the past to the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) during the Marcos years. The Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) of the late Speaker (Ramon) Mitra, they were the ruling party that diminished,” he said.
Suarez said attempts to revive the health of the party did not prosper because former President Fidel Ramos stopped the Lakas leaders from conducting a nationwide dialogue with local political leaders to consolidate the party’s local strongholds.
Aside from Lagman, Suarez said they also learned that several governors in Mindanao would join the LP.
He said efforts are being done to keep Lakas alive until the May 2013 elections so that the party could field local candidates against the administration party.
Suarez said Lakas members, particularly in local levels, are also joining the Nacionalista Party of Sen. Manuel Villar and the PDP-Laban of Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Lagman earlier announced that he will not be joining any political party but will become an independent member of the House.
“Rep. Lagman is a big loss to Lakas particularly on legal issues,” Suarez said.
Meanwhile, Lakas party president Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. was saddened by the resignation of Lagman from the party.
Revilla had called on Lagman and Suarez to settle their differences, particularly regarding the leadership of the minority bloc in the House.
However, in spite of these efforts Lagman gave up his post and his party membership.
“I am still hoping that whatever differences between Congressman
Lagman and Congressman Suarez will be settled despite the recent
developments,” Revilla said.
Revilla expressed hope that Lagman would not close the door on his colleagues in the minority, as well as Lakas.
“It saddens me to think that he has left the party. I have only good words and great respect for him. It is a great honor to have worked with him and I am looking forward to continuously working with him,” Revilla said.
Comments
Post a Comment