MANILA, Philippines ? No, the administration is not in a panic mood, said Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita on the alleged defections by some administration members to the Liberal Party (LP).

LP chairman and former Senator Franklin Drilon claimed that administration and opposition members were now joining the party to support the presidential bid of Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.

Ermita, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, neither confirmed nor denied this.

?Even before the declaration of Senator Noynoy Aquino, napabalita na yan [that has been the news]. Alam niyo sa pulitika [You know in politics], it?s very normal. Kaya sinasabi ko napakarami pang mangyayari [That?s why I?m saying that a lot of things can happen] between now and the election time,? he told reporters after a budget hearing in the Senate.

?We are not at all bothered by that. In other words, people might think that we are in a panic mood. We are not in a panic mood. From the very beginning, alam naman namin ang sitwasyon naming [we know our situation],? he pointed out.

Ermita said they were also confident that Lakas, which is now merged with the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino [Partner of the Free Philippines, Kampi] remains to be ?very strong.?

And contrary to reports, former president Fidel Ramos is still with Lakas and has not closed its door to the chairman emeritus post in the merger.

?Hindi lang niya [Ramos] tinanggap sa ngayon yung pagka emeritus [he just did not accept the emeritus post] but he has not really closed his mind on us, he hasn?t closed the door on that particular issue,? he pointed out.

By next week, the merger hopes to finish its criteria in selecting its standard-bearer in 2010.

Ermita admitted that until now, the merger has not received any indication ?from outside? the group, in apparent reference to
Vice President Noli de Castro, who has yet to decide whether or not to run for president next year.

?Since we have no indication whatsoever from outside the party, then we?ll just go on with our procedure?so at this moment, from our members of the party,? he said.

Only two Lakas-Kampi members have so far declared their presidential bid and they are Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando.