Published July 27, 2018, 3:18 PM
By Ben Rosario

Negros Occidental Rep. Albee Benitez, head of the powerful Visayan Bloc and a key PDP-Laban leader in the House of Representatives on Friday laughed off speculations of an impending exodus of party members, mostly congressmen, from the president’s political party.

Benitez, who has been asked by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to help speed up the transition in the change of House leadership, denied he will lead fellow PDP-Laban congressmen in abandoning the party, saying that all members are fully aware that such move could lead to political suicide.

“It will be politically unwise to let go of PDP-Laban party as it has established a formidable network of leaders from the grassroots to the national level,” Benitez said.

Earlier, House Deputy Speaker Rolando Andaya claimed that disenchantment in the party leadership is expected to lead a number of PDP-Laban members in the Lower House to jump ship.

Andaya said there is a possibility that Lakas-CMD will be the new vehicle of resigning party members. He added that Lakas-CMD, a political party founded by current Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, will likely hold an alliance with Hugpong ng Pagbabago, a regional party in Mindanao organized by presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

On the other hand, a national daily, quoting sources in the Lower House, backed Andaya’s claim.

Benitez said such situation is clearly incredulous considering that the Davao City mayor’s father, President Rodrigo Duterte heads PDP-Laban as party chairman.

“I see no reason why the president will abandon the party,” he stated.

The Negros Occidental lawmaker added: “I definitely feel it will be counterproductive to the administration as well as to their allies to make such ill-advised decision.”

He further explained that former speaker and Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, PDP-Laban secretary general, had already accepted the leadership of Arroyo in the Lower House.

Benitez said notwithstanding claims that he felt betrayed by party mates, Alvarez swiftly called on all House to “move on” and get back to work.

He also stressed that Arroyo has already abandoned Lakas-CMD when she joined PDP-Laban last year.

“I agree with party president Senator Koko Pimentel that the incumbent speaker be elected to a key position in our party,” Benitez added.

Andaya said he expects a few PDP-Laban congressmen to abandon the party while fence sitters will follow suit as soon as they see the number increase.

“Maaari mangyari iyan,” said Andaya, who is listed as member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition. (That can happen)

He said: “A party like Lakas-CMD will take this opportunity to rebuild, although that’s my personal opinion.”