Ruling Lakas intends to eliminate turncoats

The Lakas NUCD-UMDP-Kampi ruling party declared yesterday its intention to eliminate turncoats or balim- bings and bring about a return to the two-party system.

Former Speaker Jose de Venecia, the party’s national chairman, expressed hope that the initiative will set the stage for a revolutionary change in the multiparty system before the May 14 elections.

At the same time, De Venecia said that Lakas encourages non-party members who were at EDSA and those who supported the impeachment of ousted President Joseph Estrada to join the ruling party.

He said that all Lakas candidates from senator down to councilor would be asked to sign a pledge to reject the politics of turncoatism.

"Violators will be asked to resign their post. They will be placed in dishonor and disgrace," De Venecia contended.

He said that the party would institutionalize this initiative through legislation.

Lakas executive director Joey Rufino said about 100 candidates have signed the covenant.

"It prohibits them to switch parties or they will be ostracized," Rufino said.

Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. said that young politicians welcomed this party stand on turncoatism.

Andaya pointed out that while most of their former Lakas elders in the House joined the Lapian ng Masang Pilipino after 1998, most of the young Lakas congressmen stuck it out with the party. House Majority Leader Sergio Apostol and Isabela Rep. Heherson Alvarez III said that the stand against turncoatism would strengthen the republican system of government through a stronger party system.

De Venecia, however, stressed that the party thrust would not bar members of other parties from joining Lakas.

"We would encourage those who were at EDSA and those who supported the impeachment of Erap to join us," he said.

He explained that these persons risked their careers and even their lives in supporting the impeachment of Estrada so they should also be given credit.

Re-electionist Senators Ramon Magsaysay Jr., Franklin Drilon and Sergio Osmeña III are not members of Lakas but they supported the ouster of Estrada. They are among the 26 nominees to the 12-member slate of the ruling coalition.

Alvarez, the party secretary general, refused to identify the 26 nominees. He said that the present situation is very different from that of a few months ago when Lakas had difficulty finding persons willing to run under its banner.

Rufino said Lakas is conducting two surveys related to the elections, one to find out who the top 12 senatorial candidates are, the other to validate such findings. Names of the opposition candidates will also be included in the surveys.

Results will be in on Feb. 7, he said, meaning the Lakas slate will be finalized only after that date.

Guimaras Rep. Emily Lopez also formally returned to Lakas yesterday. She was sworn in by Senate Minority Leader Teofisto Guingona Jr., party president, with De Venecia, Alvarez and her husband former Iloilo Rep. Albertito Lopez as witnesses.

Albertito said he did not take his oath because he had never left the party. His wife, on the other hand, joined the majority coalition after 1998 when she won as Lakas candidate.

The party secretariat also started distributing yesterday the party’s certificate of nomination of candidates for the May elections. One nomination, however, was withdrawn after it was pointed out that the person was a staunch supporter of Estrada and of the group in the House against Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.

Agusan del Norte Rep. Leovigildo Banaag told The STAR last Friday during an assembly of Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino leaders at the Manila Hotel that their group would try to install Makati Rep. Agapito "Butz" Aquino as Speaker on or before Jan. 31. His certificate of nomination by Lakas was withdrawn.

A Lakas leader, however, contended that Banaag should still be allowed to join as part of a deal with the Plazas of Agusan.

"Banaag will go wherever Boy Daku will go," the Lakas stalwart said.

"Boy Daku" is the nickname of Butuan City Mayor Democrito Plaza Jr. – With a report from Liberty Dones