House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – How’s former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s political party Lakas ng Tao-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) faring these days?
Compared to the time when Arroyo was still in power and candidates vied for support from her party, the former president’s close ally, House minority leader Danilo Suarez, told reporters in a media forum Wednesday that now bets are avoiding Lakas-CMD.
“Nobody wants to coalesce with us in the first place. Now we’re like an empty movie house,” he deplored, recalling how their headquarters before was teeming with personalities aspiring to run under Lakas-CMD.
The party bid goodbye to one of its members recently – Zambales Representative Milagros “Mitos” Magsaysay.
Magsaysay joined the United Nationalist Alliance formed by Vice President Jejomar Binay and former President Joseph Estrada.
Suarez said that despite her departure, Magsaysay will still get the support from Lakas-CMD’s in her quest for a Senate seat.
He said the party is open to the idea of adopting senatorial candidates from both the Liberal Party and UNA. Asked to elaborate, Suarez was only able to name the Zambales lawmaker although he said they would “disclose the names after going through their respective review processes.”
But while the party is not expecting much of this move to adopt from other coalitions, Suarez assured this to their members: “Don’t worry, weather-weather lang yan (political power is seasonal).”