Sunday, August 19, 2007 Efforts to unite Liberal Party factions for 2010 polls underway
THE two factions of the Liberal Party (LP) may soon be reunited in preparation for the 2010 presidential elections.
Oriental Mindoro Representative Alfonso Umali and Cavite Representative Joseph Emilio Abaya, members of the LP representing the faction of former Senate President Franklin Drilon which the Supreme Court (SC) had declared as the genuine LP, said reunification of their group with the faction led by former Manila mayor Jose “Lito” Atienza is underway.
Umali and Abaya said they learned from Quezon Representative Danilo Suarez, a former member of the Atienza faction, about the openness of former Manila mayor to rejoin the LP, which is one of the oldest political parties in the Philippines
Although Suarez has joined the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), he still considers himself a member of the LP-Atienza wing.
Abaya said the “genuine Liberals” have “opened the party’s door for reconciliation” with Atienza’s group.
The LP, which produced political luminaries such as the late Presidents Manuel Roxas, Sergio Osmeña and Diosdado Macapagal, the late senators Benigno Aquino Jr., Gerardo Roxas and Ramon Mitra Jr., also a onetime Speaker; former Senate President Jovito Salonga and other surviving members still active in public service, split-up in 2006 following a disagreement on the members’ stand on the failed impeachment of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Drilon’s call for Arroyo’s resignation following the “Hello Garci” scandal.
In the House of Representatives, 14 LP congressmen are identified with Drilon, including Umali, Abaya and Representatives Manuel Mamba of Cagayan, Rozzano Rufino Biazon of Muntinlupa, Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III of Quezon, Proceso Alcala of Quezon, Hermilando Mandanas of Batangas, Ma. Evita Arago of Laguna, Glen Chong of Biliran, Paul Daza of Northern Samar, Antonio del Rosario of Capiz, and Niel Tupas Jr. of Iloilo.
Those identified with Atienza are Representatives Wahab Akbar of Basilan, Mary Mitzi Cajayon of Caloocan City, Magtanggol Gunigundo of Valenzuela, Alvin Sandoval of Malabon-Mavotas, Solomon Chungalao of Ifugao, Junie Cua of Quirino, Joeben Miraflores of Aklan, Eric Singson of Ilocos Sur, Matias Defensor of Quezon City, Fredenil Castro of Capiz, Antonio Diaz of Zambales, Rodolfo Valencia of Oriental Mindoro, and Reynaldo Uy of Samar. (Sunnex)
