Salceda says goodbye to Arroyo via text message

Former administration stalwart Albay governor Joey Salceda informed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of his departure from ruling party Lakas-Kampi-CMD in favor of the Liberal Party (LP) through a text message. Salceda, President Arroyo's economic adviser prior to his departure from the ruling party, said Monday that he texted the President of his plan to support LP standard bearer Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III last week when journalists contacted him after Aquino hinted that a key administration ally was moving to the LP. "Tinext ko po kaagad na 'ma’am lilipat ako, sumusuporta ako kay Noynoy' (I texted her immediately, 'ma'am I'm leaving, I'm supporting Noynoy)," Salceda said at an LP press conference in Cubao, where he took his oath as the latest party member before Aquino and other LP officials. Salceda said Mrs. Arroyo, who was in transit from New York to Madrid at the time, did not reply. The Albay governor said he tried to be a good member of Lakas-Kampi-CMD and admitted to organizing the meeting of Lakas-Kampi-CMD governors at the Discovery Suites last April 7. Salceda said he himself wrote the manifesto of support for administration standard bearer Gilberto Teodoro Jr. that was signed by around 30 governors. But Salceda, Aquino's classmate at the Ateneo de Manila University, said he had long been considering throwing his support behind Aquino because he was a "Coryista" at heart. Aquino is the son of the late president Corazon "Cory" Aquino. According to Salceda, the recent infighting within the Lakas-Kampi-CMD organization was the last straw that triggered his plan to bolt the party. Salceda, who is now the LP's Bicol regional chairman, is one of the signatories of the "manifesto of support from Bikolandia" where political and civil society leaders in the region pledged their allegiance to Aquino and running mate Senator Mar Roxas. "Their platform centers on eliminating graft and corruption that have long festered on our public life," read the manifesto. "Theirs is a message of hope and change that promises to put the country back on track." Other officials from the region who signed the manifesto of support for Aquino and Roxas were Camarines Norte Rep. Liwayway Vinzons-Chato, Sorsogon Rep. Salvador Escudero III, Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo, and former Albay Governor Fernando Gonzalez, who is now running for a congressional seat. - KBK, GMANews.TV