A loyalty check among all members of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD will be conducted on orders of the newly-merged party’s leaders in the wake of reports that opposition groups have waged a massive campaign to pirate members and destroy its much vaunted political machinery.

Meeting only for the second time since the party’s formal merger last May, Lakas-Kampi-CMD top executives on Thursday also agreed to support the common candidates of the now defunct Lakas-CMD and Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino for all national and local elected positions in the 2010 national elections.

Presided over by Lakas-Kampi-CMD president and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, the party’s executive committee agreed to notify regional party leaders of scheduled regional consultations.

The decision to immediately conduct regional caucuses was proposed by secretary general and presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio. The proposal won unanimous backing among party leaders who attended the executive committee meeting held in Quezon City.

House Deputy Speaker Pablo Garcia said the regional consultations will determine who among the local leaders remain loyal to the merged party.

On the other hand, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said the loyalty check is expected to prevent raids on the Lakas-Kampi ranks by opposition groups and other political allies of the Arroyo government that are expected to field presidential bets in the 2010 election.

“I have been around the country and my information in the ground level tells me that we need to consult this early with our people below to count the warm bodies still loyal to the party,” said Zubiri.

Earlier, certain leaders of the Nationalist People’s Coalition and the Nacionalista Party have boasted that their respective parties are ready to swear in new recruits, mostly coming from Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

Requesting anonymity, a Liberal Party congressman disclosed that congressmen from Lakas-Kampi-CMD have also intimated their desireto jump ship.

“Expect an exodus from Lakas-Kampi soon,” the LP solon predicted.

However, Speaker Prospero Nograles, Lakas-Kampi-CMD vice chairman, remained unperturbed by reports of massive party raids.

Nograles said the party will now concentrate on holding regional consultations that will also be used in the selection of the party’s standard bearer next year.

Nograles said there is indeed a need to resolve conflicts reminiscent of the 2007 elections by supporting common candidates of the newly-merged parties.

“This is the major reason for the merger to come back strong in the 2010 balloting as the biggest and best organized majority administration party and emerge victorious,” the House leader said.

He said there is enough time for the party to conduct the regional consultations “without hampering the party’s political timeline.”

Claudio, chairman of the National Unification and Consolidation Committee created by Arroyo, said the consultations are part of a continuing political process to impress upon the members of the party that there is a great need to “work together as one force.”

“We will not leave any stone unturned. We are the biggest political alliance and will prove our mettle in the presidential derby next year,” Claudio stated.