Icot to stay with LAKAS

By Provincial Media Relations Center (PMRC Leyte)
February 7, 2008

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  Amid the brouhaha with the LAKAS and KAMPI parties in the national scene, particularly in the Lower House, Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla said he is staying with the LAKAS party here in Leyte despite moves by other colleagues in the local government, who have opted to join the party formed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Gov. Petilla, a close ally of the president in the Eastern Visayas region, said he sees no reason at the moment to change his political affiliation.

“I don’t see any reason to transfer to any other party at the moment, unless it would bring forth more benefits for the people of Leyte,” Gov. Petilla said.

He added that other provincial leaders who opted to accept invitations to join KAMPI have their own reasons for doing so.

The governor otherwise disclosed he has neither been convinced by a person or any other group to form part of the KAMPI party.

“No, there has been no one who approached me on that,” he said.

Party-jumping among the ruling coalition of LAKAS and KAMPI has been observed lately and is reportedly a move that is seen to tow the line-up for national and local leaders in the 2010 elections. The unseating of House Speaker Jose de Venecia is seen to burn the alliance between these two big administration parties.