JDV’S EQUITY OF INCUMBENT FORMULA

But Dr. Jamie is optimistic

THE incumbents will have the edge over the other hopefuls in the May national and local elections as far as the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) is concerned, according to House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., the party president.

In a talk to newsmen at his residence, de Venecia said the “doctrine of the equity of the incumbent” will be the guiding principle of the administration’s party in choosing its candidates for governors, congressmen and city mayors all over the country.

Saying that he and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are now being besieged by those who want to run under the Lakas-CMD banner, de Venecia presented the “incumbent-is-priority” formula as the best mode of choosing local candidates.

President   Arroyo   is the ruling party’s titular head while former President Fidel V. Ramos is president emeritus.

“President Arroyo and I are proposing the adoption of the equity of the incumbent because the incumbents have already gone through the mill as far as ‘winnability’, performance and integrity are concerned,” De Venecia said.

But he admitted that there are also some bad eggs among the present crop of incumbent officials and should be weeded out as the party can not tolerate non-performing assets.

PANGASINAN AN EXCEPTION?

He, however, said that Pangasinan, where the incumbent governor, Victor Agbayani is no longer eligible for reelection, is an exception. Agbayani’s wife, Dr. Jamie Eloise Manzano-Agbayani is considering running for the post alongside Vice Governor Oscar Lambino, who is also with Lakas-CMD and is the party’s provincial co-chairman.

Lambino has threatened to jump ship and join the opposition if he is treated unfairly by his own party.

“That’s the reason why we are going to tread very carefully and solve it with great diplomacy,” De Venecia said.

 Lambino may have the edge over the other hopefuls as De Venecia said because “we will start from our members from within before we recruit from those who are not members.”

Another criterion to be adopted by the ruling party, according to de Venecia, is that the candidate, although he or she performed well, must also be a proven supporter of the administration.

De Venecia was asked if Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin Lim can also invoke the equity of the incumbent principle, considering the fact that he earlier joined calls for President Arroyo to step down from office in the midst of the “Hello Garci controversy”.

De Venecia gave no definite answer except saying, “just imagine, if you are pushing for somebody and he or she will be against the administration, then you are practically sleeping with the enemy.”

Despite his numerous digs against President Arroyo and De Venecia himself, Lim has not resigned his post as Lakas-CMD chairman in Dagupan.

“We should give equity to those who are incumbents, those who performed well and those who are supporting the administration,” De Venecia added.

At the same time, De Venecia said as much as possible, the ruling party discourages the putting up of “free zones” for Lakas-CMD candidates because this is very divisive.

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