FVR, JDV, other original Lakas members to pick own presidential bet

Original members of the Lakas-CMD party, including former President Fidel V. Ramos and Pangasinan Representative Jose de Venecia Jr., will choose their own presidential bet for next year’s national elections. A statement from De Venecia's office said he now leads a newly formed committee that would "nominate a candidate for President who must lead the battle against corruption and poverty." The committee would also recommend the “best" political parties to ally with after a thorough review of the political situation, the statement read. Committee members would include former senators Leticia Ramos Shahani and Santanina Rasul, former Interior Secretary Cesar Sarino, former Transportation and Communications Secretary Luis Lagdameo, and former congressmen Toti Carino and Jose Tan Ramirez. The committee was formed “in a gathering" earlier Tuesday in De Venecia’s residence in Makati City. More than 50 politicians attended the meeting, according to the statement. House Speaker Prospero Nograles, vice chairman of the merged Lakas-Kampi-CMD, quickly dismissed the possible endorsement of “Lakas originals" of another presidential candidate. "Not too much impact especially if they are tired or retired or out of the political scene for some time," Nograles said in a text message to GMANews.TV. Among those being considered by the Lakas-Kampi-CMD as standard bearer for the May 2010 elections are Vice President Noli de Castro, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando. During their meeting, the “Lakas originals" also declared the party's merger with Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) illegal, as earlier claimed by Ramos. Ramos had earlier refused the chairman emeritus post of the newly-merged party, while De Venecia had asked the Commission on Elections to nullify merger. - GMANews.TV