Noynoy sees more defections while Villar feels ‘vindicated’

SAN CARLOS CITY, Negros Occidental - More politicians will jump to the Liberal Party in the coming days, LP standard bearer Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III said on Wednesday, the same day presidential economic adviser Joey Salceda announced his defection from administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD. Several politicians from other parties besides Lakas-Kampi-CMD will soon announce their move to the Liberal Party, Aquino said in an ambush interview with reporters during a campaign sortie in San Carlos City.
"Hintayin ko sila magdeklara para di ma-preempt ang kanilang announcement. At di lang sa administration party, meron iba pang panggagalingan (I will wait for their own announcements so as not to preempt them. And they will be coming not just from the administration party)," Aquino said. "Marami-rami pa yan. Baka magiging regular Monday feature itong oath-taking nitong bagong kaalyado (More will be forthcoming. Oath-taking of new allies might become a regular Monday feature.) Aquino said he personally sought Salceda's support. [See: Arroyo adviser Joey Salceda deserts Lakas in favor of LP] Salceda, who was Aquino's classmate at the Ateneo de Manila University, announced his defection from Lakas-Kampi-CMD earlier in the day. The Albay governor will become the LP regional chairman in Bicol, which has a voting population of more than 2.8 million based on Commission on Elections (Comelec) records as of January 2010. LP vice presidential candidate Mar Roxas also welcomed Salceda's transfer to the LP, calling President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's economic adviser an "independent thinker." Salceda will be accompanied in campaigning for the LP in Bicol by Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo, Aquino said. After Salceda announced his decision, Albay 1st district Rep. Edcel Lagman reiterated that he and several other officials in Albay including Tabaco City Mayor Krisel Lagman-Luistro and Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal "remain steadfast" in their support for Teodoro. "Gibo Teodoro is a cut above the rest in competence, capacity, integrity, and sincerity," Lagman said in a statement. "His politics and campaign are anchored on issues and principles without any mudslinging and character assassination." Lagman said he and his party-mates in Albay will continue to campaign hard for Teodoro, who is not faring well in presidential preference surveys. Lakas-Kampi-CMD is currently being rocked by a spate of defections of key administration allies that include Bukidnon Gov. Jose Zubiri, former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis "Chavit" Singson, and House senior deputy majority leader Neptali Gonzales II. Many of those who defected from the party moved to the LP or the Nacionalista Party, whose presidential bet Senator Manuel Villar Jr. is faring well in the surveys like Aquino. House Speaker Prospero Nograles, a Lakas-Kampi-CMD senior official and stalwart, said many other senior officials dissatisfied with Teodoro's performance in the surveys and as a party leader are considering supporting another presidential candidate. [See: Nograles: Some senior Lakas members mull dumping Gibo] Salceda defection shows Villar not linked to Arroyo In the meantime, if there is someone elated with Salceda's defection, it would be Nacionalista Party standard bearer Senator Manuel Villar Jr. Salceda's big move vindicates Villar, indicating that he has nothing to do with the administration, said the NP bet, who has been alleged as Arroyo's secret candidate. Villar sees as the move of Salceda, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's economic adviser, as a vindication from the black propaganda being hurled against him and proof that he has nothing to do with the administration. He even suggested that it could be a proof of Aquino's connection with Mrs Arroyo. "Itong paglipat ni Gov Salceda ay talagang para itong vindication sa amin at ito ang pinakamaganda, pinakamalakas na pruweba, na kung merong dapat tayong hinalaan, ito ang relasyon ni Pangulong Arroyo at Noynoy Aquino," Villar told reporters before he speak at the commencement exercises of Perpetual Help College of Manila at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). (Salceda's defection is really a vindication for us and it is the strongest proof of that if there is anything we should be suspicious of, it is the relationship between President Arroyo and Noynoy Aquino.) Aquino's camp has accused Villar of being the secret candidate of the President because of his alleged soft stance on Mrs Arroyo and the transfer of the latter's allies to NP. The LP even coined the term 'Villaroyo' to stress the connection between the two, a contention that Villar has denied. "Nagamit yung issue laban sa akin na wala naman pala. Tulad ng sinasabi ko parati sa inyo na kamukha na lang ng ibang accusation sa akin na in the end napo-prove naman na mali. Meanwhile, nasisira muna ang aking pangalan. Kaya yang pangyayari na yan talagang vindication sa akin yan," the senator said. (The issue that was used against me turned out to be nothing. It is similar to other accusations hurled against me — that in the end, it will be proven wrong in the end. Meanwhile, my good name is being tarnished. That is why [Salceda's defection] really vindicates me.) He further said that the transfer of members from one party to another is but normal every time the term of a president ends. "Itong paglipat ni Gov. Salceda at Rep. Neptali Gonzales at marami pang iba ay nagpapatunay na ang nangyayari ngayon ay hindi maiiwasan, nangyayari yan tuwing matatapos ang term ng isang pangulo. Normally pag ganitong panahon ay namimili ng lilinyahan ang mga local officials at ito ang nangyayari ngayon," Villar said. (The defections of Salceda and Gonzales only show that these things take place everytime a term of a president ends. Normally, during these periods, local officials choose their allies and that is exactly what is happening now.) He boasted that the public will see more movement of people, in the next few days, from other parties to NP and LP "but I believe more will go with the NP." - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV