Lakas-Tarlac headed for party three-way split

TARLAC CITY — A three-way split in the pro-administration Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) is being anticipated here as an aftermath of President Arroyo’s announcement of her decision to run in next year’s election.

Former Tarlac Vice Gov. Herminio Aquino, who maintains a strong political following in the province’s third congressional district, has already bolted from the ruling party and joined former Sen. Raul Roco’s Aksyon Demokratiko.

Immediately taking over Aquino’s post as provincial chair of the Lakas-CMD here is ex-officio provincial board member, Dr. Isaias Apostol, president of the Philippine Councilors League’s Tarlac chapter.

Aquino is now acting as the provincial chair of Roco’s political party.

Meanwhile, business tycoon Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr. has remained "undecided" about proposals for him to join next year’s presidential derby, supposedly because he is expecting to be drafted as the standard-bearer of the administration’s People Power Coalition (PPC).

Lakas-CMD is the dominant party in the administration coalition, to which Cojuangco’s Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), the country’s second largest political party, belongs.

Amante Reyes, a veteran journalist here who covered the business magnate’s political career in the province during the pre-martial law days, said that Cojuangco’s decision "primarily hanged" over that of Mrs. Arroyo’s.

Cojuangco was a councilor and vice mayor in his hometown of Paniqui in the province before he was elected Tarlac governor and later appointed by the former President Ferdinand Marcos ambassador to the US.

Last month, he re-registered as a voter in Paniqui, giving rise to speculations that he indeed intends to run for president next year by going back to his roots.

According to Reyes, Cojuangco’s decision will be "a major factor" in the NPC’s alliance with Lakas-CMD.

In the event Cojuangco decides to attempt another try on the presidency, he claimed that "a significant number" of local Lakas-CMD stalwarts in the province may bolt the ruling party to join the businessman’s campaign.

This, Reyes said, would be the second fissure in the ruling party here.

Reyes said that some Lakas-CMD members here may back Mrs. Arroyo - which would be the third faction in the administration party - but he pointed out that "it will be more because of their need to benefit from the administration’s resources."