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NO SPLIT IN LAKAS
October 3, 2003
The ruling Lakas-CMD party supports the resignation
of Senator Loren Legarda as part of "a valid
individual strategy of a political star" but
this does not in any way constitute a split within
the party, Lakas-CMD national spokesperson Secretary
Heherson T. Alvarez today stressed.
"Sen. Legarda leaves for her own personal reasons
in order to chart her own political strategy. This
does not create a split in the party because she
does not leave questioning party principles. She
was able to talk to party leaders about her decision
and we support her move. She remains true to the
principles of progressive Christian-Democrat of
Lakas," Alvarez said.
He clarified that while Sen. Legarda has left the
party, she has not joined any opposition group.
"We fully respect her political decision which
we believe could even prove to be good for the party.
We recognize that she is a leading aspirant for
the vice presidency. She has long been considered
as a leading vice presidential figure," Alvarez
said.
A "WIN-WIN" SITUATION
Meanwhile, Alvarez said this development is very
liberating for the party and offers an almost ?win-win?
situation for Lakas because of the perceived problems
of a woman-to-woman tandem in case President Arroyo
considers running for president and Legarda for
vice president.
"The resignation of Sen. Legarda is not a setback
to the party. If Loren would be a strong vice-presidential
candidate, Lakas would have no choice but to consider
her. But we would have been confronted by a woman-presidential
and a woman-vice presidential candidate. With her
resignation from the party, we are released from
confronting that issue," he said.
Alvarez added, "We consider that the great
bulk of the support for Loren will come from women
who support competent women candidates, thus also
a support for President Arroyo if and when she decides
to run. So that even if Loren has left the party,
the President will not be losing votes because votes
for Loren could be votes for the President as well."
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