LDP gives Angara full authority to forge unity agreements

The opposition Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino authorized yesterday its chairman Sen. Edgardo Angara to forge agreements with various political parties on issues of good governance and national unity.

The LDP elected new officers, amended its constitution and by-laws and adopted a resolution that empowers Angara to forge agreements with other political parties that share the LDP’s agenda for good governance.

Speaking to the media during the LDP national congress at the Manila Hotel, Angara said he was given full authority to sit down with leaders of other political parties, including the administration coalition.

Angara said he is open to sitting down with President Arroyo to find common ground between the administration and opposition parties.

Although the President announced last year that she invited Angara to join the Arroyo administration in a drive for national unity, Angara said he has never been formally invited by the President to discuss the matter.

"I am not averse to sitting down (with the President) and defining what the government of national unity means," he said.

Angara added he is willing to request a meeting with the President, but said he would appreciate it if the initiative to set up such a meeting came from the President.

Angara said he also invites leaders of the administration’s Lakas coalition, the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), San Miguel Corp. (SMC) chairman and NPC leader Eduardo Cojuangco, former President Joseph Estrada’s Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) and Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel’s PDP-Laban to participate in the discussions.

"It is high time that the political leaders of various political parties really sit down at one round-table (conference) regardless of party affiliation and persuasion because the problems of our country are mounting," he said.

He said political leaders must unite and address the country’s problems — specifically its fiscal situation and the problem of corruption.

"I think that if we can show our people that political leaders are talking to each other they will follow the example of uniting behind reform."

Despite the LDP’s expressed openness to meet with other political parties, Angara said his party would continue its role as "fiscalizer" by remaining critical of the government while offering solutions to the problems it perceives.

He said the LDP has a rich tradition of being a responsible political party committed to healing the deep wounds that have stalled the country’s development.

During the LDP congress, a resolution was adopted defining the party’s policy direction as a mainstream opposition party that assumes a constructive approach to addressing national issues and concerns.

Elected to key positions in the LDP were executive vice president former Sen. Vicente Sotto III, secretary general former Surigao Rep. Miguel Romero, deputy secretary-general Demaree Raval, general counsel Avelino Cruz, treasurer Melo Santiago, and deputy treasurer former congressman Toti Cariño.

The position of party president was deliberately left vacant to give the party’s incoming recruits an opportunity to vie for the top LDP post.

The LDP adopted a resolution creating the post of party president, and defined the LDP president’s functions as being similar to those of a chief operating officer of a private corporation.

Regional, provincial and sectoral officials were also elected through the LDP congress.

Angara declined to identify the prominent personalities who had been invited to join the LDP, but said the announcement will be made soon.

On Friday, Angara said former Sen. Loren Legarda of the PMP had been invited to join the LDP. It will be recalled that Legarda was the running mate of the late Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr.

He also said actress Susan Roces, Poe’s widow, had indicated that she is not ready to enter the political arena.

He said the ongoing LDP recruitment is targeting fresh faces and new leaders from business, communities and the academe. "We are a party of fresh blood and fresh ideas," he said.