A top Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats official said Wednesday he is confident the party will be able to successfully convince the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) to form an alliance with them for the 2010 national elections.“You can see [Defense Secretary Gilbert] Teodoro and the party leadership might just succeed in enticing or talking successfully with the NPC to join up with the majority party,” Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, interim president of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, said at a media briefing in Malacañang.
Ermita said Lakas-Kampi-CMD’s secretary-general is currently in talks with the NPC’s “next to the highest level” officials, including its party president, Frisco San Juan.
He said the administration party is “very serious in forging” a coalition with the NPC as it is the second biggest political party in the country.
He said dozens of NPC political leaders have started defecting to the Lakas-Kampi-CMD. Majority of the defectors are allies of Teodoro, who was the NPC’s secretary-general.
“[Some] 200 leaders of Tarlac took their oath [of membership to Lakas-Kampi-CMD]. Most of the people are from the NPC ranks in Tarlac,” he said.
He said more political leaders from the NPC are also scheduled to take their oaths of membership in the coming weeks.
He said the seemingly “exodus” of political leaders joining the Lakas-Kampi-CMD happened after Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero resigned from NPC and failed its members’ expectations of running as their president in 2010.
Gibo-Loren tandem?
At the media briefing, Ermita said the party is wooing Sen. Loren Legarda, NPC’s vice-presidential candidate, to run in tandem with Teodoro for the 2010 elections.
Ermita said running as vice president under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD and NPC coalition would be the best for Legarda to win in 2010.
He added that he believes Legarda might also be contemplating on accepting the offer of running as Teodoro’s partner as she maybe fully aware of the talks happening between the two parties.
“It is in the consciousness or Sen. Loren Legarda that those talks are going on. She will be properly guided,” Ermita said.
The executive secretary cited several advantages of the administration party including its well-organized and powerful political machinery.
He said he is confident that Legarda, being an astute politician, will realize the benefits she may get by running in tandem with Teodoro with the Lakas-Kampi-CMD’s full backing.
Ermita also hinted that Legarda would also be the better running mate for Teodoro because of her pro-environment advocacy.
Teodoro is concurrently the chairman of the government’s National Disaster Coordinating Council.
Bong, Chiz also in VP shortlist
Aside from Legarda, Ermita said the Lakas-Kampi-CMD is also considering Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Escudero for the vice-presidential slot.
Ermita said Revilla is being considered mainly because of his looks and popularity, which may help boost the chances of the party’s presidential candidate. “Iyan ang kabutihan ng magandang lalaki eh (That’s the advantage of being handsome),” the executive secretary said.
Aside from his popularity, Ermita said the party is also aware of Revilla’s capability to lead.
He also cited the possibility of Escudero being Teodoro’s running mate, if the senator ever changes his mind again.
Ermita said the hunt for Teodoro’s running mate and the possible coalition with NPC and other political partys are being done on a stiff timeline.
He said the administration party has to have a vice presidential candidate before the national executive committee members convene on November 11.
He said the national executive committee members will set the agenda for the November 19 national convention during the meeting.
“Definitely we will have to have a vice presidential candidate by then,” he said.
He added that Claudio might also be able to bring news about his talks with NPC stalwarts during the meeting.
as of 11/04/2009 5:10 PM
Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/11/04/09/ermita-sees-successful-lakas-kampi-npc-talks
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