The opposition Lakas-NUCD party laughed off yesterday Palace claims of defections from the opposition's ranks, noting that it is the rising unpopularity of the administration that is driving members of the Lapian ng Masang Pilipino (LAMP) into the opposition's fold.
Lakas spokesman and former Deputy Speaker Hernando "Nani" Perez said the statement of Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Lito Banayo that 400 Lakas governors and mayors would soon be defecting to LAMP "is nothing but pure imagination."
"First of all, how can these governors and mayors defect to a non-existent political party? LAMP cannot even register itself as a political party with the Comelec," he said.
Even Bohol Rep. Ernesto Herrera, who belongs to the administration party, noted that Banayo's statement would amount to nothing since "LAMP is just an informal coalition of political parties."
He said no party convention has been called and the administration coalition has not been registered with the Comelec.
"Meanwhile, we have been engaging rival Lakas in a heated media debate on who is with us and who is not. We cannot strengthen the party through press releases," he said.
For his part, Lakas secretary general and Isabela Rep. Heherson Alvarez said Banayo's claims is "a lot of political windbag talk."
On the contrary, he said it is the administration party which is being plagued by desertions.
"It is not only the ship of state that is showing signs of limping but the administration party as well. That is why we have been receiving feelers from those who want to jump ship and regain lost credibility, let alone effectivity, as public officials," he said.
He said a disaster of Titanic proportions "is staring LAMP in the face since it is obviously rudderless, bereft of sage leadership or direction, and worse, has struck an iceberg in the form of adverse public opinion."
He added that many members of the ruling party now want to abandon LAMP, feeling that they won't have a fighting chance in the next elections if they continue supporting the administration.
The next elections will be in May next year. Up for election are local officials, congressmen and 12 senators.
Alvarez said among the administration party members who are likely to join Lakas and be among its senatorial candidates are Herrera and Rep. Joker Arroyo of Makati.
Herrera and Arroyo have often been critical of administration policies and certain Palace officials.
Two weeks ago, Senate President Pro Tempore John Osmeña, a LAMP vice president, said the two maverick lawmakers won't make it to the ruling party's senatorial ticket for next year's elections.
But in an apparent reaction to the political backlash caused by Osmeña's announcement, Banayo said last week there was nothing final in the LAMP senatorial ticket.
The ticket is still open and even those from other political groups could still be accommodated, he said.
There were reports that two possible candidates in the LAMP slate, Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado and Agriculture Secretary Edgardo Angara, both former senators, were unsure of their plans to return to the Senate.
Assistant Minority Leader Prospero Pichay Jr. (Lakas, Surigao del Sur) chided Banayo for prematurely preoccupying himself with politics.
"It's too early for him to engage in politicking when the focus should be, as his boss the President has repeatedly stated, on the ailing economy," he said.
He dismissed Banayo's claims as nothing than "empty talk."
"As a matter of fact, in my province, 14 of our 19 mayors are staunchly Lakas. Thus, we were greatly amused to read about Banayo's claims," Pichay added.
Perez advised Banayo to do something first to shore up the Estrada administration's sagging support before he thinks of pirating Lakas members.