LP: No one defecting to Duterte side

MALACAÑANG and the House leadership yesterday doused speculation the Liberal Party (LP), the largest political party in the country, would be decimated due to  poaching of its members by the Partido Demokratikong  Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban), the party of presumptive President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said reports of massive defections from the LP to PDP-Laban were in the “realm of speculation.”

“This is part of normal speculation after every election. Let’s just wait and see what will happen next. No matter what I say, I don’t see  anything of positive value for our country on that topic,” said Coloma in an interview over dzRB radio.

The next president will need to muster the majority in Congress to get his priority legislation and budget passed,  and to thwart possible impeachment attempts. The LP with its 110 members could potentially become a strong opposition bloc in the 300-member House of Representatives.

Bulk will remain intact

“I’m sure the bulk of the LP would remain intact,” said Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. amid reports newly elected Davao Oriental Rep. Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez has started to raid the ranks of the ruling party in order to gather at least half of the estimated 300 members of the 17th Congress behind his bid to be elected Speaker.

Alvarez is scheduled to meet next week with key political blocs in Congress, specifically the party-list coalition with at least  40 members, the Nationalist People’s Coalition with 42 members, the National Unity Party with 25 to 40 members and the Nacionalista Party with 23 members.

Alvarez, who was embroiled in a bribery scandal involving  the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco) in 2002, is hoping to build a coalition from an initial PDP-Laban membership of three. Alvarez’ s main target is presumably the LP.

Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, another ally of Duterte, spoke of Duterte’s desire to have  a “super majority” or two-thirds support in the House to diminish any threat of impeachment.

Votes of only one-third of House members are needed to impeach a President and the LP alone could initiate ouster moves against Duterte at any time.

Forge alliance, not impeach

But this early, Belmonte assured Duterte he was not interested in impeaching him but would rather forge an alliance with the incoming president.

Belmonte had been Speaker in the 15th and 16th Congresses and is apparently keen on extending his rule in his third and final term as Quezon City representative.

“We are ready to help the new administration jump-start its programs. Indeed, its success is the success of all of us,” said Belmonte.

Duterte needs a strong grip on Congress not only to keep at bay parties wanting to oust him but to ensure that his key legislative agenda, specifically Charter Change through a constitutional convention, will be carried out as part of his campaign promise to shift to a federal form of government.

Earlier, Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, the lone PDP-Laban party member in the Senate, said he would meet with his colleagues to present Duterte’s legislative agenda.

Influx of new members

His father, PDP-Laban party leader Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, earlier said their party was expecting an influx of new members with Duterte headed to Malacañang.

LP stalwart and Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said the statements of the PDP-Laban leaders were “premature,” particularly if the LP vice presidential candidate, Leni Robredo, clinches the post.

Abad said the LP had yet to meet to assess what happened in the elections, in which its presidential bet, Mar Roxas, lost to Duterte, and  “discuss how we will relate to the new administration.”