Gloria Arroyo party, former allies regroup; vow to support Duterte, Alvarez

The two political parties composed of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s former and current allies have reunited to support the administration of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte.

Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) and the National Unity Party (NUP) on Monday inked a coalition agreement at the House of Representatives.

Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez signed for Lakas-CMD while NUP was represented by its secretary general, Reginald Velasco.

“The purpose of this agreement is to unite our forces to have a common legislative agenda. We want to emphasize that both parties will be supporting President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and incoming Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez,” Velasco said in a press conference.

Alvarez, a congressional representative from Davao del Norte, is Duterte’s choice for Speaker in the incoming 17th Congress.

Romualdez said Lakas-CMD and NUP go a long way back, and were close before 2010.

“As you know, Lakas and NUP have had close ties. In fact, we were very close before 2010, before we decoupled. So now we’re reuniting,” he said.

Lakas-CMD is Arroyo’s current political party. NUP, meanwhile, was formed in 2010 by the breakaway group of politicians who had supported the former president, who is currently serving as the congressional representative of Pampanga’s 2nd district.

Arroyo’s political party currently has five members, while NUP has 40. Leaders of the two groups confirmed they are joining the majority bloc in the next Congress.

'Super majority'

Last week, Lakas-CMD signed a coalition agreement with the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) while Velasco said NUP will soon sign a similar pact with Duterte’s political party soon.

Velasco said Alvarez will have an easier time dealing with his colleagues with the formation of coalitions.

“It will be a big help for the incoming Speaker if he will be dealing with blocs because he will be assured of a ‘super majority’ support instead of dealing with individual congressmen,” he said.

Alvarez has expressed confidence he will be able to muster the support of more than 180 lawmakers— a “super majority”—to support his speakership bid and Duterte’s legislative agenda.

Romualdez hinted that Arroyo could play a pivotal role in the next Congress since Duterte has expressed support for releasing her from hospital detention.

“If she’s given the liberty to post bail or the cases against her are set aside, then I don’t see why she couldn’t play a large role in the 17th Congress,” he said.

The former President has been detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center since 2012 in connection with a plunder case over her alleged misuse of the state lottery firm's intelligence funds.

Romualdez, meanwhile, declined to say if the coalition of the Lakas-CMD and NUP is part of a "grand plan" for Arroyo to gain more influence in the next Congress.

"We don’t look at it as a grand design or what, but if it involves that way, so be it. But we’re just taking it one step at a time," he said. —ALG, GMA News