De Venecia forming ‘powerful coalition’

MANILA, Philippines -- With his ties with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and some leaders of his political party, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrat (CMD), severed, former speaker Jose de Venecia said Thursday that he was now working on a "powerful coalition" for the 2010 election that would elect the next President.

De Venecia said the coalition would form a "new enlarged powerful majority" that would field a strong contender and other candidates in the next national elections.

He said that he has started talking to leaders of several political parties and their members, and received commitments from some that early next year "they were prepared already to cross the river."

"In the light of the 2010 elections, I am working on a powerful coalition. … This is not Lakas anymore, it will be an enlarged rainbow coalition," De Venecia said in an interview.

Asked what would happen to the ongoing regional merger between Lakas and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Partner of the Free Filipino, KMP) party of the President, De Venecia said, "That will fall along the wayside. You talk to our leader, we'll create a new enlarged powerful majority, elect the new President of the Philippines that is what we're working on."

The former speaker expressed confidence that the next president could come from his coalition and beat whoever the administration candidate would be. With the public opinion very much adverse to the Arroyo administration, he said any candidate associated with the President would suffer defeat.

De Venecia said the country's next leaders should attend to the battle against poverty and corruption, not to politics.

Asked if he was eyeing Vice President Noli de Castro to be their standard-bearer De Venecia said, it could be a subject of negotiation. "But our moves must be dictated by public opinion." inquirer.net