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| HISTORIC COALITION - Congressman Luis R. Villafuerte announces his coalition pact with Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, Jr. and Congressman Felix Alfelor, Jr. during the KAMPI mass oathtaking ceremony at Villa Caceres Hotel. Congressman Alfelor is shown seated fourth from left in the back row along with Iiriga City Mayor Madeleine Alfelor-Gazmen and other Camarines Sur mayors. (by EDDiE LABAO) |
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The political landscape in the province of Camarines Sur abruptly took a new shape today as Congressman Luis R. Villafuerte announced at the mass oath taking for the Kabalikat ng malayang pilipino (Kampi) that he has firmed up a historic alliance with the group of budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, Jr. in the First District. Three months earlier, he also formalized an unexpected merger with the group of Congressman Felix “Nancing” Alfelor, Jr. in the Fourth District of the province.
Congressman Villafuerte also announced that Budget Secretary Andaya has agreed to give way to presidential son Dato Arroyo to run for congressman in the First District instead of the cabinet official’s wife as earlier being bruited around. Some 700 key provincial and municipal leaders from all four congressional districts of the province took their oath before Congressman Villafuerte as members of KAMPI, the party founded by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo when she ran for vice president in 1998. Congressman Villafuerte is the KAMPI national president. The mass oathtaking was held at the Villa Caceres Hotel in Naga City which was also attended by Congressman Alfelor, Iriga City Madeleine Alfelor-Gazmen and practically all mayors in the province allied with Congressman Villafuerte, Congressman Alfelor and Budget Secretary Andaya.
Mayors identified with Secretary Andaya were, however, merely invited to witness the ceremony since they belong to the Liberal Party under Mayor Lito Atienza-Andaya wing. But a coalition has been agreed upon in principle between KAMPI and Andaya’s Liberal Party such that only one ticket for two groups will be fielded in the coming May, 2007 elections.
The political groups of Congressmen Villafuerte and Alfelor in the Fourth District, once bitter political adversaries, have also been consolidated under KAMPI and will also be fielding only one ticket in the next year’s election.
The political alliance between Congressman Villafuerte, Congressman Alfelor and Secretary Andaya is reminiscent of the vaunted Apat na Agila in 1984 election for the Batasang Pambansa which saw the quartet of then Assemblyman Villafuerte, former Senator Edmundo Cea, Ciriaco Alfelor and Rolando Andaya, Sr. score a lopsided victory over well-oiled KBL candidates of President Marcos led by Congressman Noli Fuentebella.
Fuentebella’s team included former Congressman and Governor Juan Triviño, Salvador Bigay and Lorenzo Ballecer.
Only Congressman Villafuerte is the surviving member of the victorious Apat na Agila but Ciriaco Alfelor and his son, Budget Secretary Andaya who was serving his third successive term as congressman in the First District when prevailed upon by the President to accept the Budget portfolio.
He also explained that there is a standing agreement between Lakas and KAMPI in the national level that in some provinces Lakas will determine the administration candidates but in certain areas KAMPI will choose the candidates. Since he is the national KAMPI president, it is expected that he will handpick administration candidates in his own province, other than those previously settled in separate agreements with Secretary Andaya and Congressman Alfelor.
Congressman Villafuerte said KAMPI presently already has 38 congressmen and the number is predicted to swell to 51 before the end of the year.
