Two administration lawmakers declared on Monday that the Lakas-Kampi-CMD can field its own candidates from the president down to municipal councilor in next year’s general elections as they debunked persistent speculations of a “no-election” (No-El) scenario.

House Deputy Speaker for Mindanao Simeon Datumanong and Nueva Ecija Rep. Rodolfo Antonino belied a statement made by Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. that the newly merged administration party cannot field its own candidates unless his petition in the Commission on Elections (Comelec) questioning the merger is resolved.

They also described as “baseless and divisive” the statement of former President Fidel V. Ramos that military officials in key positions in government are conspiring to stir up a Palace coup or a No-El in order to prolong President Arroyo’s stay in power.

Ramos and De Venecia are founders of Lakas-CMD. In May, it merged with the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), the party founded by Mrs. Arroyo.

Datumanong, a former justice secretary, said Lakas-Kampi-CMD can do what De Venecia says it cannot.

“That’s what he (De Venecia) thinks, but the party has its own thinking and that we can field our candidates from President down to local levels.”

“I feel Lakas and Kampi have duly institutionalized its merger and we have gone to the regular process substantially,” Datumanong added.

De Venecia had earlier said the newly merged administration party cannot choose its standard bearer and other candidates for the 2010 elections because it has not been accredited and recognized as a political party by the Comelec.

Antonino dismissed De Venecia’s claim, describing it as nothing but a “power-gripe.”

“He (De Venecia) is no longer part of the circle that is why he is complaining now. He wants to be in the limelight again,” he said.

“But his position that we can’t field our candidates because of his pending petition before the Comelec is totally wrong and false.”

The chairman of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety said that assuming De Venecia was right and the Comelec rules in his favor, the situation is still not irreparable.

“Even if the Comelec decides in favor of him, we will just issue separate nominations, meaning from Lakas and Kampi nominations. So what’s his point? It is clear that all he wants is to be in the limelight again. As far as the Lakas is concerned, JdV is no longer part of it even if the Comelec decides in favor of his petition,” Antonino said.

Reacting to Ramos’ statement, Antonino said the scenarios the former president have been talking about will not happen because it does not have the support of many sectors.

“Such a scenario will not happen because it does not have the support of many sectors. The administration is preparing and looking forward on 2010 presidential elections. President Arroyo will step down in 2010, that’s not an issue,” Antonino said.

Datumanong said public figures such as Ramos should not be talking about military intervention because “it has no basis.”

“The more we talk about it is the more we give them reason to think that they can intervene. That statement is very divisive and we should not say those things in public and I believe that the military are not planning to do that (military takeover),” he said.

Ramos had warned the public against an attempt to extend Arroyo’s term via coup or No-El. He, however, said such effort would not succeed because the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) alumni now holding key security positions in the country do not have military support.