Lakas a sinking ship — Pimentel

The ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party is already a "sinking ship" and two more pro-administration senators will likely "jump ship" soon, opposition senators said yesterday.

Senators Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Rodolfo Biazon said in a news forum that there has been an increase in defections from the ruling party because of President Arroyo’s decision to run in next year’s elections.

Pimentel, president of the opposition PDP-Laban, described Lakas-CMD as a "sinking ship and those who want to survive are jumping ship."

The ruling party, Biazon said, has become a "political repellant."

"This is becoming more obvious with the recent developments within the People Power Coalition (PPC)," said Biazon, a member of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP).

Biazon was referring to the coalition Lakas-CMD formed with the Reporma Party of former executive secretary Renato de Villa, the Probinsiya Muna Development Initiative (Promdi) of former Cebu governor Lito Osmeña, Aksiyon Demokratiko of former education secretary Raul Roco and the Liberal Party.

Reporma and Promdi bolted the coalition last week to support the presidential candidacy of Roco, who resigned from the Arroyo Cabinet last year.

Lakas-CMD itself has been rocked with internal dissent as the President announced her candidacy, with Vice President Teofisto Guingona resigning as party president and vice presidential aspirant Loren Legarda also quitting the party.

On Thursday, Senators Manny Villar, Ralph Recto, Joker Arroyo and Francis Pangilinan also bolted the PPC.

"And if these four senators are concerned, then Sen. Noli de Castro won’t be far behind," Pimentel said, noting that De Castro was very supportive of the group.

Biazon attributed the rise in defections to Mrs. Arroyo’s announcement that she will be the PPC standard-bearer next year.

"This is strange because confirmation of the standard- bearer usually causes a realignment of forces toward the incumbent. Attracting, not repelling allies," Biazon said.

Aside from De Castro, Biazon said there is also another administration senator who is expected to bolt the PPC but he refused the name the lawmaker.

"To make matters worse, there are indications that even supporters from civil society are being driven and breaking away from the political and social forces that was very evidently supportive of Lakas during the EDSA II uprising," Biazon said.

But Biazon stressed that there will likely be no changes in the leadership of the Senate.

"Personally, we should not rock the boat at this point," Biazon said. "We only have a few months and a change in the structure will not amount to anything anymore."