ORIGINAL LAKAS-NUCD LEADERS TO SWING TO ROCO?

MANILA, DECEMBER 2, 2003  (STAR) By Paolo Romero - So-called originals of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas) are reportedly set to bolt the pro-administration party and jump into the bandwagon of presidential hopeful Raul Roco.

"Lakas originals, many of them provincial or district chairmen, are being unceremoniously booted out of their posts," said a source.

"Since we are shabbily treated by outsiders in the party we founded, we might as well support Roco," the source said.

The source said Lakas, founded in 1992 as Lakas-Tao by Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and former President Fidel Ramos, is now being run by "LTA Building and the Jose Pidal" group.

Mrs. Arroyo is not a Lakas original, having first formed the party Kampi with former congressman Jose Cojuangco as her vehicle for an aborted presidential bid in 1998, the source added.

Lakas leaders who are set to join the Roco presidential campaign are former representatives Herminio Aquino, Charito Plaza and Luz Bakunawa.

Others are Misamis Oriental Rep. Oscar Moreno, who said he was filing an indefinite leave of absence from Lakas, and Negros Occidental Rep. Apolinario Lozada, a close Ramos associate, who was replaced as provincial party chairman by Ignacio Arroyo, brother of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.

The source said Ramos is apparently supporting Roco as shown by the presence of his daughter, Cristy, and his former Cabinet secretaries in the former education secretary’s rally at the Folk Arts Theater in Pasay City last Sunday.

"The signs of Ramos support are there," the source said.

Among the Ramos administration officials at the rally were former housing czar Dionisio dela Serna, former budget secretary Salvador Enriquez and former executive secretary Renato de Villa, as well as former senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani.

Roco is slowly but surely getting stronger as a potential winner in next year’s presidential elections, said Sen. Manuel Villar Jr.

"Lumalakas si Senator Roco," he told reporters. "Yung mga nagsabi na di magtatagal si Sen. Roco ay mukhang nagkamali. Lalong tumatagal, lalong lumalakas."

Villar belongs to the pro-administration Group of 5 in the Senate that includes Joker Arroyo, Ralph Recto, Noli de Castro and Francis Pangilinan.

All five of them won the 2001 senatorial elections under the pro-administration People Power Coalition (PPC).

Roco’s Aksyon Demokratiko was part of the PPC until recently, but bolted the pro-administration umbrella along with De Villa’s Reporma and Lito Osmeña’s Promdi.

The three groups are supporting Roco’s presidential bid.

Villar, the former speaker who sped up the transmittal to the Senate for trial of the articles of impeachment against then President Joseph Estrada, said it was a great honor for him to be considered as Roco’s vice presidential running mate.

However, Villar said he is not interested to become vice president.

"Mas gusto kong maging presidente, kaya lang hindi pa pwede," he said.

Villar said the Group of 5 will choose whom they will support in the presidential elections — Roco, President Arroyo or De Castro — in case he decides to run for president.

Meanwhile, three congressmen chided Roco yesterday for "justifying his imminent defeat" in next year’s elections when he threatened to storm Malacañang if he is "cheated" in the counting.

Bacolod City Rep. Monico Puentevella said Roco must remember that the electoral system he is doubting is the same one that allowed him to win as congressman, and later senator.

"It is too early for former senator Roco to concede defeat," he said. "When he started doubting the electoral system in this country, he was trying to justify his forthcoming defeat. This doesn’t sound well even to his own supporters."

On the other hand, Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco said it was "presumptuous" for Roco to threaten to storm Malacañang if he is "cheated" in an election that has not yet been held.

"He presumes that the President will not win, and that if she wins, she must have cheated," he said. "He also presumes that he will be the frontrunner at the end of the campaign period that is still 70 days away from the 90-day campaign period."

Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay said Roco must be doubting his chances of winning that as a "prelude to his defeat," he has conditioned the minds of the people that the administration would resort to cheating.

"He does not believe in his winnability," he said. "He is not confident of winning and expecting to lose. Mr. Roco is now trying to set up the people’s minds as a prelude to his defeat." — With Jess Diaz