MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has squelched a secret plot by a bloc of rabid administration allies to oust Speaker Jose de Venecia when Congress resumes session on Monday.

A frantic President called up Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita late Friday from Davos, Switzerland, where she was attending the World Economic Forum, to promptly dissuade members of the administration coalition in the House of Representatives from pushing through with the ouster move.

Sought for comment, Ermita confirmed that Arroyo had indeed personally instructed him by phone to rein in critics of De Venecia from pursuing any attempt to wrest the speakership from him.

?There's talk going around for a possible leadership change in the speakership (which) reached the President in Davos. The President wants this squelched right off, and nipped in the bud. She called me up to make a statement condemning it," said Ermita.

The De Venecia camp said the ouster plot was being led by former Majority Leader Prospero Nograles ?and some misguided party members,? but this was quickly ?aborted? by the President and by De Venecia himself.

Nograles now heads the House contingent in the powerful bicameral Commission on Appointments.

De Venecia said he and the President talked on the phone Friday night, the same night she gave instructions to Ermita that any campaign against the Speaker ?is not authorized.?

?This is not true,? Ermita quoted the President as saying, referring to allegations that the move against the Speaker had the blessings of the President.

?If ever there is such a move, she is discouraging split moves. Precisely the efforts and focus of the President now is to strengthen the party and really unify it.?

Ermita stressed that the President won't sanction such a move and was in fact looking forward to "strengthen" Lakas during the national directorate assembly on February 7.

"That's why preparations have reached fever pitch for the national directorate assembly on February 7," he said, adding that ?The President wants to show that she is not supporting any such move. She is for the retention of the Speaker.?

Arroyo, the Lakas chair, wants the administration members to ?focus on governance? instead of engaging in party intramurals, and see De Venecia, the Lakas president, as a crucial part of the political equation with former President Fidel Ramos as the party chair emeritus, Ermita said.

?We will go on with the national directorate assembly precisely to consolidate the party and unify it if people perceive there's no unity (among us),? said Ermita.

The Palace official pointed out that no less than Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno had told the Inquirer of the ongoing negotiations to ?merge? the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), Arroyo's party, with the ruling party Lakas-CMD.

?That's complementary and it's part of strengthening the majority coalition. Secretary Puno's pronouncement is very timely,? said Ermita.

Puno, Kampi's president on leave, said the merger will ensure that only one presidential candidate will be fielded by the administration coalition in 2010, and was crucial for all member-parties of the coalition to retain power after 2010.