Kampi officials buck proposed merger with Lakas

MANILA, Philippines - Leaders of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) rejected on Monday a proposed merger with the ruling Lakas party saying if there would be a merger, Kampi should be the party absorbing Lakas. This, as the Lakas national directorate started its meeting in Manila to take up the fate of ousted House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr as the party's president, and to discuss the possible Lakas-Kampi merger. Radio dzBB reported that Rep. Jose Solis said a merger would only disrupt the administration's coalition as members of both parties would jockey for position for favors from Malacañang. Solis said Rep. Luis Villafuerte, another Kampi stalwart said that a merged Lakas and Kampi will "not be good" for members of either party. He said they would rather have members of the Lakas party leave and then transfer to Kampi. - GMANews.TV