Ping says Angara a Palace ‘mole’ in opposition

VICTORIAS, Negros Occidental — Independent presidential candidate Sen. Panfilo Lacson said yesterday Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) president Sen. Edgardo Angara is just an "irritant and a nuisance" to the opposition and a mole of Malacañang tasked with destroying the opposition.

In a chance interview shortly before beginning his campaign sortie here, Lacson said these are the reasons why Angara should be ousted from the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP).

"We don’t consider an Angara factor in the LDP or in the KNP because he is just an irritant and a nuisance," Lacson said, adding that Angara has nothing to do with any talks he is now engaged in with KNP standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr.

"That is (Poe’s) prerogative and we never discussed (anything) about Angara," he said. "But we talked about the LDP groups in KNP and they are so disgusted about Senator Angara. They are the ones who suggested to us that Angara should be ousted from KNP."

He said his lone senatorial candidate, Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla, earlier called for Angara’s ouster from the KNP. Lacson said Padilla’s statement is just a "re-echoing" of "the statement given to us by LDP stalwarts in the KNP. But since (Poe) is the one saying Angara should be retained, then he should be retained."

Lacson said he has no intention of tackling the Angara issue with Poe, whom he hopes to meet with for the sixth time prior to the May 10 elections.

"I don’t intend to take the (up) matter... (Angara) has nothing to do with my talks with (Poe). We just made a suggestion to make the unification talks smooth. Our suggestion is (they) better take Angara out of the way."

He likened the unification of the opposition to an overflowing dam. "The analogy is that a dam will burst and the flow of water will be uncontrollable," he said.

Lacson also said that Angara is a mole from Malacañang whose task is to destroy the opposition. He said someone from Angara’s home province of Aurora told him there are a lot of infrastructure projects "bearing the names of (President Arroyo) and Angara."

"These infrastructure projects are usually given to Lakas supporters." Lacson said. "So, how come Angara got those projects? Here is a president of the LDP and a member of the executive council of KNP getting all the possible support in terms of resources and in terms of infrastructure projects from Malacañang, right in his own province."

"One cannot help but think why," he said. "Why did Angara continue to confuse the LDP and now he is the one creating chaos in the KNP through information that makes trouble?"

He said the LDP stalwarts within the KNP were the ones who proposed that Angara be ousted from the opposition coalition, but refused to identify these LDP members.

With election day fast approaching, Lacson said his camp is taking care of the usual physical threats that are meant to derail his presidential bid.

"Of course there are threats — the usual security and physical threats — but we are taking care of that," Lacson said. "Of course, the possible renewal of black propaganda against me (is) also one of the major concerns. As I said, somehow, they succeeded in 2001 and 2002, where we lost some of our supporters but, somehow, we are recovering them."

The KNP, in a press statement, expressed optimism that unification between the Lacson and Poe camps could still be worked out before the May 10 elections.

Angara said he remains hopeful that the unity talks will continue despite the "uncalled for demand" by Lacson’s camp that he be removed from the KNP so unification talks can proceed smoothly.

"Despite all this, we share the view of our presidential candidate that there are still high hopes that we can unify and have Senator Lacson join us," Angara said in a radio interview.

Angara said it would be "impossible" for the KNP to comply with the demands of the Lacson camp that he be ousted from the coalition, considering that he is the chairman of the executive committee and was instrumental in forming the KNP that cobbled together the LDP, the Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) and the PDP-Laban parties.

According to Angara, Lacson’s demand for his ouster is tantamount to scuttling the coalition to achieve unification, "but we are still not closing the door to unification."

Poe earlier said the demand for Angara’s removal from the KNP was "uncalled for, but we are still hoping for unification."