Pro-Arroyo Vizcaya politicians to unite vs opposition

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — Contrary to what is happening elsewhere, the allies of President Arroyo in Nueva Vizcaya who were virtually at odds during the last elections are now prepared to bury the hatchet just to ensure that the candidates of the opposition fail in their bids to capture the congressional, gubernatorial and other posts in the province.

Unlike in other provinces where members of pro-administration parties are squabbling, here an alliance between the Lakas-Christian, Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) and Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino (Kampi) appears to be in the works.

The main intention of the alliance: to prevent the opposition-led Abante Nueva Vizcaya, the local political party of former House Minority Leader Carlos Padilla, to win big in the May elections, and particularly to prevent him from reclaiming the province’s lone congressional seat that he had occupied for nearly 20 years.

Lawyer Ernesto Salunat, a Lakas-CMD stalwart here, confirmed that the two pro-administration parties are now hammering out a deal to iron out kinks at the local level.

Late last December, local Lakas-CMD and Kampi officials led by board member Patricio Dumlao Jr. and Rep. Rodolfo Agbayani met at the residence of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Thompson Lantion, who recently gave up his post as Lakas provincial chairman, in order to ensure a united ticket against the Padilla group.

Agbayani, who eased out Lantion for the congressional seat in 2004, wanted to ensure that his supporters would be given posts in the provincial and municipal lineups in case of an alliance with Lantion, whose group has the machinery to put up a good fight against Padilla’s Abante Nueva Vizcaya to which Gov. Luisa Lloren-Cuaresma and Vice Gov. Joe Gambito are affiliated.

Agbayani, who ran under the opposition Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino of the late Fernando Poe Jr. in the 2004 elections, recently assumed as provincial party head of Kampi, the President’s original party.

It was not clear, however, as to what positions Lantion and Agbayani would be seeking if ever they would run, or if this tentative agreement to join forces would hold water in the coming months.

Salunat said the intention of the alliance is to thwart the possible election of Padilla, who Malacañang fears may be among those out to impeach the President.

But several members of Lakas-CMD here seemed disgruntled over the possible alliance, saying they were not consulted about it.

"They can make all kinds of agreements if they want. It will be us in the grassroots level who will ultimately be the ones doing all the dirty work," an obviously miffed Lakas member said after a party caucus that had preceded the Lantion-Agbayani-Dumlao meeting.

"There are some of us who are not in favor of Agbayani and others who do not support Lantion," another member said.

Earlier, several Lakas mayors in Nueva Vizcaya were reported to have bolted the party and jumped to Kampi allegedly in protest over Dumlao’s taking over as acting party head.

Meanwhile, Lantion kept mum about his political plans, saying that he would stick to his being LTFRB chairman for now.

Earlier, a number of Lantion’s partymates in Lakas said that if the Lantion and Agbayani camps forge an alliance, it would be best if Lantion would run for governor and Agbayani to seek reelection against Padilla.

Agbayani, however, has reportedly expressed his desire to either reclaim the governorship or retire permanently from politics.

Salunat said he is willing to run against Padilla in case Lantion decides to stick it out at the LTFRB and Agbayani insists on running for governor.

"I cannot just allow Padilla to run unopposed for congressman of the province," Salunat said, adding that if anyone would be willing to run, he would accede to him.

Earlier, Padilla, who political observers said is still the man to beat, intimated his desire to regain this province’s lone congressional seat.

Of the 15 Nueva Vizcaya mayors, eight are allied with Padilla, five with Lantion, and the rest with Agbayani.