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By Sammy Martin, Correspondent
Two is not a crowd and three is
not too much where it concerns the 2010 presidential elections, at
least to House Speaker Prospero Nograles.
Nograles on Wednesday held a
press conference, where he announced that they in the ruling
coalition Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats are scouting the
Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) and even the Nationalist
People’s Coalition for a possible merger. He is the president of
Lakas. President Gloria Arroyo is the founder of Kampi and the
chairman of Lakas.
“Our main objective in [Lakas]
now is forging an alliance with Kampi and other coalition parties.
If we can do that, then we can have a very strong administration
party in 2010,” he told House reporters.
Nograles said he foresees that
Lakas will be the strongest party ever and will be serenaded by
presidential hopefuls in the 2010 elections because of the party’s
big membership in the grassroots.
Nograles said backdoor
negotiations among the administration parties will iron out rules of
the game as President Arroyo, he revealed, had given him
instructions to ensure a merger before she delivers her State of the
Nation Address this July.
“I am hoping that before we [go
on] recess, that’s June 18, we will be able to do it . . . you
know, if we concentrate on the problem, we can solve it . . . . the
general situation is that, it can be done except probably in some
areas,” he added.
The Speaker said they cannot
avoid objections and violent reactions from both Kampi and the
Nationalist People’s Coalition that could arise from the floating
of the merger. But, he added, the two parties will have to shelve
their sentiments, especially if more than 90 percent of their
members agree “in principle” to join Lakas.
“If we can achieve a merger, of
at least 80 percent of the provinces, districts, cities and
municipalities, we will do it and then leave the 20-percent problem
areas to arbitration,” he said.
When asked if the coalition will
support Vice-President Noli de Castro, who is an independent,
Nograles said that will be a party decision. He added that de Castro
is a strong contender in 2010, as shown in different surveys.
“It is not a question of
getting Noli de Castro. The problem there is, ‘Does Noli want it?
Does he want to be the standard-bearer of the Lakas-Kampi
merger?’” the Speaker asked.
He also explained that one does
not get a candidate and then merge because “that is putting the
cart before the horse.”
“You merge first and then you
choose a candidate. If it happens, this party [Lakas] is the
strongest and a well-oiled machinery that will bring its candidates
to power,” Nograles said.
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