(Updated) Pols rejected by LP now with NP - Noynoy

(Updated 6:06 PM) ROXAS CITY, Capiz - A number of high-ranking politicians who were disallowed from becoming Liberal Party (LP) members are now with the Nacionalista Party (NP), Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino said on Thursday, adding that his party upholds "standards" in accepting politicians switching affiliations. Aquino made the statement after NP standard bearer Senator Manuel Villar Jr., Aquino's closest rival for the presidency, suggested that the transfer of presidential economic adviser and Albay governor Joey Salceda from ruling party Lakas-Kampi-CMD to the LP could prove that it is Aquino — and not Villar as the LP claims —is secretly allied with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. [See: Arroyo adviser Joey Salceda deserts Lakas-Kampi in favor of LP] "Maliwanag ho sa akin, may mga lumapit saming kasama na nila ngayon (It is clear to me that some people who approached us are now with them)," Aquino said. "Nung nareject namin pumunta sa kanila (When they were rejected, they went to the NP)." When asked whether these politicians have ranks as high as Salceda's, Aquino answered: "One can say that, yes." But he refused to name these politicians, saying he was taught by his mother, the late former president Corazon Aquino, not to speak ill of others. "Sabi ng nanay ko kung wala kang masabing maganda sa isang tao huwag ka na lang magsalita (My mother told me that it's better to keep quiet if you can't say anything good about the person)," he said. On Wednesday, Villar said he sees Salceda's transfer to the LP as a vindication from the "black propaganda" being hurled against him. "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 (Salceda's defection is really a vindication for us and it is the strongest proof that if there is anything we should be suspicious of, it is the relationship between President Arroyo and Noynoy Aquino.)," Villar said. But Aquino said Thursday that the LP has actually turned down politicians who expressed intentions to move to them after they were found to be unwilling to comply with certain "standards" of the LP. "Meron ho kaming standards na pinipilit i-maintain, meron kaming inoobliga sa lahat ng kasama namin, na ito yung palakad na gusto naming mangyari, kaya ba ninyo o hindi (We have certain standards that we insist on maintaining, we oblige all our allies and tell them that we want things done a specific way; we ask them, 'can you do it or not?')," Aquino said. "Sa kabila parang lahat lang ata tinatanggap e (In the other camp, they seem to accept everyone)," he added. The LP is accusing Villar of being the secret candidate of the Arroyo administration because Villar is rarely heard publicly lambasting Mrs. Arroyo for the alleged anomalies under her administration. Many stalwarts of Mrs. Arroyo's Lakas-Kampi-CMD have also moved to the NP, including former Ilocos Sur governor Luis "Chavit" Singson and Bukidnon Governor Jose Zubiri. The NP has strongly denied being allied with Mrs. Arroyo, pointing out that it is actually Aquino who has relatives in her administration: Lupita Aquino Kashiwahara, Mrs. Arroyo's image maker; Tessie Aquino-Oreta, head of the Early Childhood Care and Development Council; Jose 'Peping' Cojuangco, head of Philippine Olympic Committee; and Peping's wife Magarita 'Tingting' Cojuangco, president of Philippine Public Safety College. [See: Villar denies being Arroyo's secret candidate] But Aquino, who even vowed to form a commission that will investigate anomalies under the Arroyo administration if he is elected, also denies being allied with Mrs. Arroyo. [See: Noynoy wants commission to resolve Arroyo controversies formed] Besides Salceda, another administration stalwart, House senior deputy majority leader and Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales II, recently moved to the LP. Aquino said he expects more defections to the LP not just from Lakas-Kampi-CMD but from other major political parties as well. [See: Noynoy sees more defections while Villar feels vindicated] Liberal Party recruited Arroyo's architects of poverty, Nacionalistas say For its part, the Nacionalista Party turned the tables Thursday on the Liberal Party, pointing out that the latter recruited President Arroyo’s architects of poverty even calling it an extension of administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD. “If Noynoy called Lakas-turned-NP members rejects, the LP (Lakas Pala) recruited GMA’s architects of poverty or ‘arkitekto ng kahirapan’," Gilbert Remulla, NP spokesperson and senatorial candidate, said in a text message to reporters. Among the former members of the Arroyo Cabinet now with LP are former trade secretary and vice presidential bet Manuel Roxas II, former socio-economic planning secretary and senatorial candidate Ralph Recto, former finance secretary Cesar Purisima, former social welfare secretary Dinky Soliman, and economic adviser Joey Salceda. “Walang magbabago. Tuloy ang paghirap ng mahihirap. Tuloy ang pag yaman ng mayayaman (With them in the government, nothing will change. The poor will continue to be poor and the rich will continue to become richer)," the former Cavite representative added. - with Amita O. Legaspi, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV