Gibo unfazed by Nograles' threat to form new faction

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Presidential bet Gilberto “Gibo" Teodoro Jr. is unfazed by House Speaker Prospero Nograles’ threat to form a faction within the administration party that will field another presidential candidate for the May 10 automated elections. In an ambush interview Tuesday night in his political rally here, Teodoro even challenged Nograles to make good his threat. “Do not taunt anymore, just do it," he said. Teodoro, the standard bearer of Lakas-Kampi-CMD that is now being rocked by defections, said Nograles should not blame him for his frustrations. He also said the House leader should bring his gripes to party leaders and not to the media. In a statement issued Tuesday, Nograles, a member of the Lakas national advisory board and key ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, bared his disappointment about their standard bearer. “Gibo abandoned the party chairmanship at the most crucial hour – the start of the local campaign," he said, referring to Teodoro’s resignation as Lakas-Kampi-CMD’s chairman last March 30, four days after the start of the campaign period for local candidates. “When he was being looked up to as the leader who would marshal Lakas candidates in the local level – the biggest number in the country – Gibo chose to resign as chairman together with other top leaders," Nograles added. Nograles said “neglected" party members are mulling dumping Teodoro in favor of a new administration presidential candidate. He said the resignation showed that Teodoro had no concern with his party mates, which caused the party to go “out of control." “Gibo must shape up – address the grievances of Lakas members, recover their confidence, motivate the party – or he ships out of the party," Nograles said. Former Justice secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr., who is running for Iloilo City mayor, said Nograles’ actions were grounds for expulsion from the party. “[Those] could be acts inimical to the interest of the party," he said. He also scoffed at Nograles’ threat to form another faction, noting that the lawmaker was one of the prime movers of the merger between Lakas-CMD and Kampi. “I don’t think he can do it." - with Johanna Camille Sisante/KBK, GMANews.TV