Bong Revilla elected Lakas-Kampi president

The minority party Lakas-Kampi-CMD on Thursday elected Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. as its new president and replaced former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as its chairperson in a move to “reorganize" the coalition. Revilla was chosen by both Lakas and Kampi members for being the coalition’s highest elected official, according to Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay, who is the coalition’s new vice president for Luzon. “I think he (Revilla) is the one acceptable to all sides, the Lakas side and the Kampi side," Magsaysay told GMA News Online in an interview. Raul Lambino, party spokesperson, meanwhile said that the actor-turned-politician was selected to lead Lakas-Kampi because of his loyalty to the party. “He showed concern and gave a lot of effort for the party. He deserves accolade for he has been with the party since 1995," he said in a separate interview. Lambino, however, said that it is “too early too tell" if Revilla’s election is a sign that the senator will be fielded as Lakas-Kampi’s standard-bearer in 2016. The Lakas-Kampi-CMD was the ruling party during the Arroyo administration, but was taken over by the Liberal Party (LP) after its standard-bearer, Benigno Aquino III, won during the May 2010 polls. The LP elected last month former senator and defeated vice-presidential bet Manuel Roxas II as its party president. Arroyo, meanwhile, was replaced by House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman as the party’s chairperson, according to Lambino. “He [Lagman] is the party’s highest ranking official in the House of Representatives, so it is only fitting and proper for him to be chairman," Lambino said. He added that Arroyo, being a former President, will now serve as the party’s chairman emeritus. Elected as vice chairpersons were Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. - KBK, GMA News