Angara, LDP to stay with Estrada, LAMP coalition

The biggest political party belonging to President Estrada’s ruling coalition voted yesterday to stay within the alliance despite calls from some party leaders for Mr. Estrada to resign over a gambling payoff scandal.

Agriculture Secretary Edgardo Angara, head of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, has also decided to remain in the Cabinet, an LDP statement said.

However, the LDP’s union with the Estrada coalition would be "conditional," Sen. Rodolfo Biazon said.

He refused to give details until the LDP drafts an official communiqué to the Chief Executive stating the party’s official stand.

The decision to stick out with Mr. Estrada’s ruling Lapian ng Masang Pilipino (LAMP) party was reached during a meeting of about 60 LDP leaders at the residence of Avelino Cruz in Dasmariñas Village, Makati City.

In that meeting, a reform committee composed of select LDP leaders was tasked to draft an agenda that they will submit to the President for immediate action.

Angara, in a statement, reiterated that he would remain with the Cabinet. He also said that the constitutional process of impeaching the President should be allowed so that "all issues can be properly deliberated upon and for both sides heard."

Makati Rep. Agapito "Butz" Aquino seconded Angara, saying "we ought to avoid patronage politics and respect institutional processes."

The LDP has agreed to respect the decision of Senate President Franklin Drilon and Biazon to leave LAMP while remaining with LDP.

Biazon said he and Drilon were standing by their decision to demand Mr. Estrada’s resignation.

"I am ready to accept whatever disciplinary action will be applied on us by the party," he said.

Mr. Estrada’s coalition has been shaken by the defections of scores of lawmakers following allegations that the President took millions of pesos in bribes from illegal gambling bosses.

An opposition bloc in Congress has filed an impeachment case against Mr. Estrada for alleged bribery and corruption. The President said he is innocent of the charges and vowed to clear his name in an impeachment trial by the Senate.

The impeachment case is to be debated in the House of Representatives which will vote whether to pass it on to the Senate or not.

A two-thirds vote of the 22-member Senate – or at least 15 – is required to unseat the President. — Perseus Echeminada, Reuters