This was disclosed yesterday by Palawan Rep. Antonio Alvarez of Kampi as he boasted that their party has grown to be one of the most formidable political groups in the country.

Alvarez said that while senior members of Lakas and Kampi support the merger move, majority of local officials and congressmen from Kampi do not want any part of it.

"We are now the bigger party," Alvarez, chairman of the House Committee on Trade and Industry, said in an interview.

Alvarez said the union could only prove detrimental to both parties.

"Both Lakas and Kampi have separate power bases," said Alvarez. "To merge both parties then would also unite our power bases resulting in a weakened single power base."

Alvarez also said that majority if not all of the Kampi members reject the merger following reports that the merger would result into Lakas coming out as the surviving party.

"No one among us would allow that to happen," he added.

Kampi lawmakers are more comfortable maintaining a coalition partnership with Lakas-CMD but a merger will be junked, added Alvarez.

Lakas-CMD officials led by former President Fidel V. Ramos, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Parañaque City Rep. Eduardo Zialcita have disclosed that the dominant party is gearing towards a merger with Kampi.

The revelation came two days after congressmen, mainly from Kampi, ousted former Speaker Jose de Venecia last week.

While De Venecia was replaced by a fellow LakasCMD lawmaker, Speaker Prospero Nograles, Kampi solons were credited for the ouster plot.

Kampi president and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte was a key player in the move to oust De Venecia. Coup was reportedly carried out under the direction of Villafuerte.

Meanwhile, Villafuerte said he is unmoved by the threats of the former speaker to expose alleged irregularities of the Arroyo administration.

De Venecia was expected to deliver a privilege speech that would follow up his expose of alleged irregularities committed under the Arroyo administration.

As of presstime last night, the former speaker has not yet taken the rostrum and was last reported to be locked in a conference with Nograles.

On the contrary, Villafuerte said he will also use the plenary floor to enumerate all the failure of De Venecia as speaker of the House in the past four Congresses.

The Bicolano lawmaker is set to deliver a privilege speech today (Tuesday) stating the 11 points or reasons why the solons ousted De Venecia last week.

"So the people may understand why we removed him," Villafuerte stressed.

Last week, De Venecia said that he will deliver a series of privilege speeches disclosing what he knew about the irregularities involving the President and the First Family, which include the National Broadband Network (NBN) deal and attempts to commit election fraud in 2004.

"Go ahead and try! Speak whatever he wants to speak of and it will all just ricochet on him," said Villafuerte.

He added: "Why would he come out only now to tell all those things now that he had been ousted? It’s plain and simple sourgraping!"