By James Konstatin Galvez and Jefferson Antiporda (The Manila Times)
Link: http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/15635-130-lakas-lawmakers-rally-behind-teodoro
In an apparent show of force, some 130 lawmakers under the banner of Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) gathered at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City (Metro Manila) on Monday to express support for former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, their standard-bearer in the May 10 elections.
Ray Roquero, the secretary general of the administration party Lakas-Kampi CMD, said that the meeting was held to show Teodoro that they will remain behind him and that they are committed to have him elected as the next president of the country.
“This [gathering] will show that they are still here for Gibo amid a few defections,” Roquero added, referring to a number of departures from the ruling coalition, most recently that of Gov. Jose “Joey” Salceda of Albay.
The meeting was the first of the two set by the party for its congressional and gubernatorial candidates.
“We stick together, we stay as one, we work for the election of our candidate Gibo Teodoro and make sure that on election day, all votes will be counted and Gibo will win,” House Deputy Speaker Amelita Villarosa said.
Party President Francis Manglapus said that it was the duty of Lakas-Kampi CMD to present to the public the most qualified candidate—Teodoro.
Another party member, Rep. Victor Ortega of La Union, during the gathering denied earlier reports that the Northern Alliance had decided to support Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Sen. Manuel “Manny” Manny Villar Jr. and maintained that they remained solidly behind Teodoro.
He said that only Deputy Speaker Eric Singson left the party and went to Villar, adding that Singson is not a party member, and was originally a member of LP.
“It might be a defection from one party to another but it does not involve Lakas,” Ortega added.
Teodoro was a no-show during the gathering because he was campaigning in Antipolo City.
Roquero pointed that the meeting will have given last-minute instructions to party members, particularly on what to do on election day and discussed moves on how to intensify the campaign of Teodoro and other candidates in the homestretch of the campaign period.
He announced that they would now start to withdraw certificates of nomination of party members who left or have chosen to support other candidates for president.
Roquero said that Lakas-Kampi CMD also would deprive these candidates of much-needed poll watchers on May 10.
Only Gibo-Edu
In Antipolo City, Teodoro said that he would stick with Edu Manzano as his running mate until the end.
“There is only Gibo-Edu, nobody else. I will not change partner, never,” he told reporters before meeting with local officials headed by Mayor Danilo Leyble.
Teodoro was reacting to a report on a supposed clamor from some “loyal” members of the Lakas-NUCD pushing for a Teodoro-Fernando tandem, referring to former Chairman Bayani Fernando of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
Fernando is the running mate of Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon under the Bagumbayan party.
According to The Manila Times report published on Monday, a bloc of original officers and members of the once mighty Lakas-National Union of Christian Democrats (NUCD) want Fernando to be Teodoro’s running mate in order to reunite that party.
Lakas-NUCD was the forerunner of what is now Lakas-Kampi CMD.
The Lakas-NUCD pioneers were also asking Manzano to voluntarily withdraw from the race for vice president in order for Fernando to be accommodated as Teodoro’s running mate.
Manzano also on Monday said during an interview that he had heard about the news and branded it as pure speculation and that he has no plans of deserting Teodoro.
“I am also a loyal member of Lakas, I am a member of the party since 2001 and I am committed to my president,” he added, apparently referring to Lakas-CMD, which was founded in 1991 by Fidel Ramos, who eventually became the country’s president (1992 to1998).
Lakas-CMD merged with Kampi (Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino) in 2008. Kampi was formed by then Vice President Gloria Arroyo in 1998.
Manzano, a former Optical Media Board chairman, said that replacing him as Teodoro’s running mate would not help Teodoro’s campaign in any way.
“I don’t see how will it help his [Teodoro] candidacy at this stage of the game. We don’t see numbers, there is no shifting of loyalties,” he added.
In an apparent show of force, some 130 lawmakers under the banner of Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) gathered at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City (Metro Manila) on Monday to express support for former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, their standard-bearer in the May 10 elections.
Ray Roquero, the secretary general of the administration party Lakas-Kampi CMD, said that the meeting was held to show Teodoro that they will remain behind him and that they are committed to have him elected as the next president of the country.
“This [gathering] will show that they are still here for Gibo amid a few defections,” Roquero added, referring to a number of departures from the ruling coalition, most recently that of Gov. Jose “Joey” Salceda of Albay.
The meeting was the first of the two set by the party for its congressional and gubernatorial candidates.
“We stick together, we stay as one, we work for the election of our candidate Gibo Teodoro and make sure that on election day, all votes will be counted and Gibo will win,” House Deputy Speaker Amelita Villarosa said.
Party President Francis Manglapus said that it was the duty of Lakas-Kampi CMD to present to the public the most qualified candidate—Teodoro.
Another party member, Rep. Victor Ortega of La Union, during the gathering denied earlier reports that the Northern Alliance had decided to support Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Sen. Manuel “Manny” Manny Villar Jr. and maintained that they remained solidly behind Teodoro.
He said that only Deputy Speaker Eric Singson left the party and went to Villar, adding that Singson is not a party member, and was originally a member of LP.
“It might be a defection from one party to another but it does not involve Lakas,” Ortega added.
Teodoro was a no-show during the gathering because he was campaigning in Antipolo City.
Roquero pointed that the meeting will have given last-minute instructions to party members, particularly on what to do on election day and discussed moves on how to intensify the campaign of Teodoro and other candidates in the homestretch of the campaign period.
He announced that they would now start to withdraw certificates of nomination of party members who left or have chosen to support other candidates for president.
Roquero said that Lakas-Kampi CMD also would deprive these candidates of much-needed poll watchers on May 10.
Only Gibo-Edu
In Antipolo City, Teodoro said that he would stick with Edu Manzano as his running mate until the end.
“There is only Gibo-Edu, nobody else. I will not change partner, never,” he told reporters before meeting with local officials headed by Mayor Danilo Leyble.
Teodoro was reacting to a report on a supposed clamor from some “loyal” members of the Lakas-NUCD pushing for a Teodoro-Fernando tandem, referring to former Chairman Bayani Fernando of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
Fernando is the running mate of Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon under the Bagumbayan party.
According to The Manila Times report published on Monday, a bloc of original officers and members of the once mighty Lakas-National Union of Christian Democrats (NUCD) want Fernando to be Teodoro’s running mate in order to reunite that party.
Lakas-NUCD was the forerunner of what is now Lakas-Kampi CMD.
The Lakas-NUCD pioneers were also asking Manzano to voluntarily withdraw from the race for vice president in order for Fernando to be accommodated as Teodoro’s running mate.
Manzano also on Monday said during an interview that he had heard about the news and branded it as pure speculation and that he has no plans of deserting Teodoro.
“I am also a loyal member of Lakas, I am a member of the party since 2001 and I am committed to my president,” he added, apparently referring to Lakas-CMD, which was founded in 1991 by Fidel Ramos, who eventually became the country’s president (1992 to1998).
Lakas-CMD merged with Kampi (Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino) in 2008. Kampi was formed by then Vice President Gloria Arroyo in 1998.
Manzano, a former Optical Media Board chairman, said that replacing him as Teodoro’s running mate would not help Teodoro’s campaign in any way.
“I don’t see how will it help his [Teodoro] candidacy at this stage of the game. We don’t see numbers, there is no shifting of loyalties,” he added.
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