MANILA, Philippines — Officials of the administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD party told Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone to stop grandstanding, but Malacañang admitted that his revelations about members leaving for other parties were partly true.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s chief political strategist, Gabriel Claudo, Monday admitted that part of what Evardone, secretary general of the League of Governors and an ally of the President, said the other day—that local internal conflicts were driving away some members of the ruling Lakas-Kampi party, was true.

But Claudio disagreed with Evardone’s contention that the infighting between former Lakas members and Kampi members might cause the newly merged party to “disintegrate before next year’s polls.”

The party is not “disintegrating,” Claudio said.

He likened the departures to an organization “shedding off excess weight (allowing the party) to be in its best fighting form going into electoral battle.”

“Defections by some Lakas-Kampi members to the opposition do not signify a breakup in the administration party organization,” he said in a statement.

“The local leaders who quit the party all did so because of local internal conflicts, sparing us the agony of arbitration in their areas and allowing the administration to consolidate its strength around loyal, dedicated and formidable local party leaders who are known opponents of the defectors.”

Over the past few weeks, the ruling party has lost key allies such as Biliran Gov. Rogelio Espina, who defected to the Nacionalista Party (NP) of Sen. Manuel Villar.

The NP also pulled in Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte Jr. and Davao del Sur Gov. Douglas Cagas.

Claudio said the defections did not necessarily leave a “void in the local party structure.”

Without distractions

“It even allows us to consolidate without the distraction of local intramurals,” he said.

The administration’s presidential bet is Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.

The party convention during which Teodoro will be formally proclaimed its standard-bearer and his running mate named has been moved to Nov. 19, the eve of the start of the filing of certificates of candidacy.

Claudio criticized the parties supposedly pirating Lakas-Kampi members.

“The more they gloat about these so-called defections, the more they confirm their trapo (traditional politician) character, building or beefing up (their) organizations out of sheer piracy and luring disgruntled or displaced administration party members into their fold,” he said.

Shut up or ship out

As for Evardone’s predictions of doom for the party, Palawan Rep. Antonio Alvarez said the Eastern Samar governor’s strong statements were “just a ploy” to clinch the party’s blessing as the congressional candidate for his district.

Alvarez said Evardone was predicting the party’s demise because he would not benefit from its equity-of-the-incumbent rule, meaning that an incumbent official gets priority for the official nomination.

Eastern Samar Rep. Teodolo Coquilla is only on his first term and might seek reelection under the Lakas-Kampi banner.

Alvarez, a spokesperson for Lakas-Kampi, insisted the party would remain standing despite clashes between Lakas originals and Kampi originals—like Evardone and Coquilla—who want to run for the same post.

Evardone had said that if he did not get the official nomination, he may have no choice but to leave the party.

“Don’t say that it will disintegrate. You’re only saying that because the party is going against what you want,” Alvarez said over the phone. “If he’s loyal to the party, he should stop talking like that.”

According to Alvarez, it was inevitable that some members would squabble, especially if one wanted to challenge an incumbent for a post. Local problems were among the ticklish issues raised during the merger, and the party even formed an arbitration committee to address these.

“If you cannot follow that rule, get out of the party, but don’t malign the party,” he said.

“We can only have one candidate to preserve unity. If you want to challenge the incumbent, better go to another party, so that within our party we can concentrate,” he said.

He added that it would be better if Lakas-Kampi were to go up against another party—rather than having two warring groups within its camp—since the battle lines would be clearer.

Alvarez also believes that the departure of those not chosen as official candidates would not lead to the party’s collapse because it would still have its official bets who are expected to work hard for Lakas-Kampi’s victory.