Lakas-Kampi clears unity issues, vows intensified campaign for Gibo

Upon orders from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself, the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD party on Tuesday cleared issues regarding its unity and vowed to “intensify its nationwide campaign" for its standard-bearer Gilberto Teodoro Jr. In a meeting in Pasig City attended by Mrs. Arroyo, members of the Lakas-Kampi executive committee agreed to lead its local candidates to rally behind Teodoro. “The President told me that I better work on all the concerns that have to be addressed. She said, “You’re the chairman. So do something about all of these." We have already addressed all the issues," newly-installed party chairman Rep. Amelita Villarosa said in a press briefing after the meeting. Villarosa maintained that Lakas-Kampi is “solidly behind Teodoro" and that “everything is already going smoothly" within the party. The party’s executive committee even came up with a resolution “affirming party unity" and “commitment to intensify the nationwide campaign" to ensure Teodoro’s victory during the meeting at Linden Suites in Ortigas. “I can assure you now that there are no more problems… We have exchanged views. We have come up with resolutions. We have new officers, and we are one," she said. The meeting of top administration officials came two weeks after key local executives — including former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit" Singson and Bukidnon Governor Jose Zubiri — quit the party and supported Nacionalista Party (NP) bet Manuel Villar Jr. Villarosa said however that these defections would not affect the party considering its “ample reserve" of local executives. “That [defecting] is a personal choice. The choice to change ally at this point in time is what they want, and that’s okay. We have ample reserve," she said. Lakas-Kampi-CMD has a total of 12,891 local candidates nationwide, which accounts for 72 percent of candidates vying for local posts. No issues on funding Administration party stalwart and campaign manager Prospero Pichay Jr. meanwhile said that Lakas-Kampi has already “settled" issues on funding. “These problems on funding are actually just imagined. We have no problems in funding in the party. With our new party leadership, baka may sobra pa (we might even have excess campaign money)," he told GMANews.TV in an interview after the meeting. However, Pichay refused to divulge the amount the party is allotting for its national and local campaigns, but assured that it is “within election laws." Despite Pichay’s assurances, Lakas-Kampi senatorial candidate Raul Lambino still appealed for more funding for his advertisements to enable him to mount a “decent campaign." “I can understand that the priority of the party is Gibo, but I also told the party to not make us, senatorial candidates, look like nuisance candidates. Give us also a decent campaign. We may not win the elections, but at least, we have mounted a good political battle," he said. Lambino said the party vowed during the meeting to support him and other administration senatorial bets by including their names in sample ballots. “I am happy with that arrangement. Whether or not they are going to help us fund our ads, that is another matter," he said. - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV