FVR, JdV to question legality of Lakas-Kampi merger
PANGASINAN’s eminent political leaders, former President Fidel V. Ramos and 4th district Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr., founders of the party Lakas-NUCD-UMDP, have initiated a review of the legality of the party’s merger with the administration’s Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi).
“We want to protect the historic integrity of the party Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats or its original name Lakas- NUCD- UMDP,” said De Venecia.
De Venecia said they have already directed their legal advisers to undertake a full- scale review to determine if there are provisions that would render the contract for the merger null and void.
“It’s very important that we rescue that party,” he added.
De Venecia said he is scheduled within the week to meet with Ramos, whom he quoted as earlier saying that the merger has “so many defects, so many discrepancies”.
One of the things that will be looked into is whether the national directorate, indeed, met and approved the merger. According to the former Speaker, the constitution and by-laws of Lakas-NUCD-UMDP states that any merger or any amendment to the constitution should be approved by the national directorate and ratified by the national assembly.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is the new chair of the merged parties.
De Venecia, a former close ally of the President until their falling out over the anomalous NBN-ZTE deal, resigned as the Lakas party’s president emeritus following the merger.
“But if there is no merger, then there is no resignation,” De Venecia said, adding that he did not resign as a member of the party.#
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