MANILA, Philippines -- “God forbid.”
This was how former Speaker Jose de Venecia responded to the impending merger between the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Partner of the Free Filipino, Kampi), about an hour after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo endorsed the union Monday.
Speaking at a televised press conference after he resigned as president of Lakas, De Venecia claimed that about “70%” of his partymates would “vehemently” oppose the merger.
De Venecia said that everybody knew that Kampi was a party of “Mike Arroyo … President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Mikey Arroyo, Iggy Arroyo,” referring to First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, son Pampanga Congressman Juan Miguel Arroyo, and brother and Congressman Ignacio Arroyo.
It is a party of “power and money,” said De Venecia.
“Now Lakas will merge with Kampi, Lakas which is far bigger, recognized internationally by the Christian democratic community, Muslim communities all over the world, the only party that houses Christians and Muslims? … God forbid.” De Venecia said.
At the same time, De Venecia warned that many in Lakas would leave President Arroyo and stand firm with “our real party” if the merger would push through.
He also said that Ramos and Quezon City mayor Feliciano Belmonte, Lakas executive vice resident, “fully agreed” with his call for the President to resign her positions in Lakas, Kampi, and the Liberal Party.
De Venecia said proponents of the merger would try to “Max Factor” it, referring to a popular brand name of a cosmetics firm, to make it “more palatable” to the members.
De Venecia said the President sought a merger because she was in “serious trouble,” referring to the string of scandals that has hounded her presidency and which were threatening to bring her government down.
De Venecia reiterated that having resigned as president of the party that he “co-founded, nurtured, built, and loved,” he would prefer to be its “conscience to prevent it from becoming a party of corruption, without principle.”
