Lakas-Kampi merger still on track despite feud

The merger of the biggest pro-administration political parties, Lakas and Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), is still on track despite the feud among their officials on the controversial issue of Charter change (Cha-cha).

“It’s still on,” said Speaker Prospero Nograles, who is Lakas president.

“We are not talking to Congressman Villafuerte. We are talking to Secretary Puno,” he said.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte is Kampi president, while Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno is party chairman.

President Arroyo is the founder of Kampi, while Lakas was founded by former President Ramos. But both parties now look up to Mrs. Arroyo as their principal leader.

In provinces where there is no conflict among leaders of the two parties, Nograles said he and Puno have decided to merge Lakas and Kampi forces.

“In the Davao provinces, for instance, we have merged our organizations. We will have common candidates there in 2010,” he said.

Nograles and Villafuerte have been feuding over Cha-cha.

Last Dec. 9, while the Speaker was in the United States, Villafuerte criticized him in plenary session for his Resolution 737, which seeks to amend certain economic provisions of the Constitution.

He accused his House boss of having “put the cart before the horse” by filing the resolution without the chamber deciding first what Cha-cha mode to use.

Two days later, in a television interview, Villafuerte jokingly referred to Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez as “Speaker Romualdez.”

It was just a slip of the tongue, he claimed, but later called Romualdez Speaker at least three more times.

Romualdez, Villafuerte and President Arroyo’s congressman-son Juan Miguel or Mikey of Pampanga are leading the gathering of signatures on a resolution authored by Villafuerte which seeks to convene Congress into a constituent assembly (con-ass) to tackle Charter amendments.

The Leyte congressman is a favorite companion of Mrs. Arroyo on her foreign trips. He has accompanied the President in almost all her travels abroad since becoming a lawmaker 18 months ago.

Many of the House members’ signatures that are already on the con-ass resolution were affixed in front of the President and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo during Romualdez’s recent birthday party.

Though he and Nograles are feuding, Villafuerte, unlike Sorsogon Rep. Jose Solis, has not openly called for the Speaker’s ouster.

Solis, who is Kampi spokesman, is the Speaker’s most vocal critic.

The Speaker has ridiculed Solis’ call for his ouster. “That has been his dream from Day One: to oust everyone,” he said.

He said the Sorsogon congressman has been making “outrageous” statements.

Solis has admitted in a Quezon City news forum that he has an ax to grind against Nograles and his predecessor, former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.

Last year, De Venecia removed Solis as defense committee chairman. Solis tried to retake his post when Nograles replaced De Venecia last February, but the new House boss chose to keep the leadership status quo in the House and in its committees.

Nograles said he is not threatened by reports that Kampi wants him out.

“No fear! That’s not in my radar,” he told reporters last week.

He said he would continue to do what he thinks is best for the House and for the country.

According to Nograles, Mrs. Arroyo, as the recognized leader of both Lakas and Kampi, has given her go-signal for the merger of the two parties ahead of the 2010 elections so they can support a common ticket, from national to the local level.

His predecessor, former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., has expressed doubts about the President’s sincerity on the merger plan.

De Venecia said Mrs. Arroyo encouraged the fusion of the two groups in the past only whenever she faced political controversies.