Key Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) stalwarts in vote-rich Tarlac province have joined the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, which is led by Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, belying speculations that the powerful political party is losing key members to opposition parties.

“Our real problem is how to accommodate the multitude who continues to make a bee-line towards the door of the Lakas-Kampi,” said Ray Roquero, executive director of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) even as he downplayed the negative effect of a series of news stories showing alleged mass defections in Teodoro’s candidacy.

“Of course it’s news if there are party members leaving the administration party, but movements from the opposition to our party merit little attention from our friends in the media. But that is the way we want it so that our new members can enjoy an element of surprise before filing their candidacy,” said Roquero.

According to him, national and local leaders from major political parties like the NPC, the Liberal Party and the Nacionalista Party continue to make negotiations to join Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

Earlier reports said the LP seems to be ahead of the NP in raising the dominant party’s bailiwicks and is assembling the late former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino’s “yellow army.”

“There is no such scenario at present. The G-men or G-Army under Gibo remains strong and is getting stronger by the day – watch out for the defections of big personalities from opposition party to Lakas-CMD in the coming days,” Roquero said.

He said that if politics is local, then Teodoro’s strangle-hold on the vote-rich province only shows that the Lakas-Kampi-CMD remains strong.

“If this is a proxy fight among cousins and you have Teodoro winning over LP’s Sen. Noynoy Aquino in Tarlac, then you can gauge the possible outcome of the 2010 Presidential elections,” Roquero said.

“If Tarlac is a battle ground between its two noble sons, whose side will emerge victorious and who will raise the white flag?” he asked.