Lakas
holds loyalty check; breaks ties
with "traitors"
Anticipating
the departure of more "treacherous" members who have shifted their support
to the dominant opposition in the province, the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD rounded
up all its mayoralty bets in 47 towns and the city Monday for a loyalty check.
The
words that came out of local party officials were clear and precise: "We
have to weed out party members whose loyalty belonged to the rival camp." Lakas-Kampi
provincial standard bearer and gubernatorial frontrunner Rep. Edgar Chatto called
for a closed-door conference with the party's heavyweights after holding a press
conference to counter a "calculated and deliberate" smear campaign against
administration candidates by their own "rebel partymates". Chatto
- together with vice gubernatorial bet Board Member Concepcion Lim, Rep. Roberto
Cajes, first district congressional candidate and former governor Rene Relampagos
and former agriculture boss Arthur Yap, who is running unopposed in the third
district - emerged from the closed-door meeting saying his camp is ready and organized
for the start of the official campaign period on March 26. The
Lakas leadership said it will implement close monitoring within its ranks as disloyal
members continue raiding partymates to join the Nacionalista Party (NP) of Vice
Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera.
| | | "With
the campaign period just days away, it is important that we know from all our
members who really are for us and are with us," stressed board member Lim.
The
provincial bets of Lakas are heavily banking on its much vaunted political machinery
in the province that could deliver crucial votes for them. But
with the infighting of party leaders and the shift of loyalties, the tandem of
Chatto and Lim could be in for a tough challenge from the opposition camp. |
ATTACKS
AGAINST GUV The
Lakas officials blamed Gov. Erico Aumentado as the "grand designer"
of the "planned uprising" among some members which is causing the "mess"
within the party. Chatto
and Cajes detailed how the governor gave out orders and orchestrated plans in
waging an underground campaign to pirate Lakas members to the NP. Cajes
said the governor is doing the exact opposite of what he is declaring to partymates
and the public. Chatto
said he was left with no choice but had to lash back at the governor, a man he
has "so much respect", because he could no longer keep his silence when
the public needs to know the truth and the lies that Aumentado has been peddling
to damage his reputation, and that of the party's. After
the meeting on Monday, Lakas officials said they will continuously conduct meetings
to determine who among its local leaders remain loyal to the party. "We
need to work together as one force," Chatto said.
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