Villar slams LP intrigues over defections

Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Manny Villar yesterday lashed out at his rival Benigno Aquino III and the Liberal Party (LP) for sowing intrigue over the recent alliances forged by the NP with local government officials of the ruling party, saying the LP also has its share of Lakas-Kampi-CMD converts.

"Why question the shift of support of some members of the administration party to the NP when the LP itself benefited from the same last year? Once again, we can see how dirty the LP plays its politics," Villar said.

Villar said when Lakas-Kampi stalwarts like Quezon City Mayor Sonny Belmonte, Caloocan City Mayor Recom Echiverri, Alaminos, Pangasinan Mayor Hernani Braganza, Cavite Gov. Ayong Maliksi, members of Cebu's Osmeña clan and Cebu Rep. Antonio Cuenco, to name a few, shifted loyalties to the LP, no malice was ever raised by the NP.

Villar also said Cebu lawmakers and former administration stalwarts Raul del Mar and Simeon Kintanar, and even actor Cesar Montano - who ran and lost under the administration's Team Unity senatorial ticket in 2007 - are now also supporting LP.

Villar also named former Arroyo Cabinet members who are now in the "Gloriaquino" team as Manuel Roxas II, Dinky Soliman, Florencio Abad, Ralph Recto, Avelino Cruz, Teresita Deles, Rene Villa and Cesar Purisima, to name a few.

"Now that administration party members have stopped going to LP and started trooping to the NP, they counter by sowing intrigues that we have an alliance with Malacañang. This is just plain hypocrisy and sourgraping at the highest level," he said.