Nograles, Villafuerte told to stop bickering

MANILA, Philippines - Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on Tuesday urged Speaker Prospero Nograles and Camarines Sur Representative Luis Villafuerte to stop their bickering as it is detrimental to the looming merger of administration parties Lakas and Kampi. Nograles and Villafuerte are serving as presidents of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), respectively, in a hold-over capacity. They quit their posts recently to allow the unification committee under presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio to facilitate the merger of the two parties in preparation for the 2010 national elections. "Kung pupuwede itigil nyo na yung away ninyo dahil it is counter productive, hindi maganda tignan [Please stop bickering as it is counter-productive and it is not good] specially in the looming Lakas-Kampi merger. We are in the midst of historic merger," Zubiri said in an interview with reporters. He said the final date of the signing of the agreed constitutional by-laws of the merger will be on May 28. He said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will attend the event. "Sama sama muna tayo. Let’s unite for the good of the country, not for the good of politics but for the good of the country," Zubiri said. He said the merger is not about Nograles or Villafuerte and they should not allow their bickering to hinder the merger. "Yung Lakas Kampi merger is beyond this two personalities. Even me as the secretary general of Lakas, I’m willing to put my position on the block para lang magkaroon ng pagkakaisa ang dalawang partido. Wala po akong problema na mawala sa akin yung posisyon na yan basta lang magkaroon ng pagkakaisa," Zubiri said. [I have no problem if they will give my position as Secretary General of Lakas to another just to achieve unity.] On Monday, Villafuerte withdrew his support for any mode of amending the Charter as he lashed out at Nograles for “mindless, directionless approach" on the issue. "Our leader in the House does not seem to know where he wants to lead us," Villafuerte said, adding that Nograles "never finishes anything" with his continuous shift from various modes to amend the Constitution. In a separate press conference, Nograles stood by his HR 737 and dared anyone opposing the method it is taking to bring the matter before the Supreme Court. "The majority leader and chair of the Rules has decided that my Cha-cha resolution 737 will follow the House rules which state that any amendment proposal must follow the legislative route. That's found in our House rules approved by all the members since the 8th Congress, again and again, in every Congress until now. It's not my rule. It's not his rule either," he said. Nogales also said Villafuerte is entitled to his own opinion. "[Villafuerte] and I have so many differences of opinion in so many things and that's why I would want the issues voted on the floor because it's like an irresistible force against an immovable object. He thinks I am wrong. I think I am right," Nograles said. - GMANews.TV