While the administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD threw its support to the presidential bid of former secretary Gilbert Teodoro, the people behind the original Lakas party that catapulted former President Fidel Ramos in 1992 to the Palace have expressed their support to the candidacy of Philippine Labor and Peasant Party presidential bet and former public works secretary Hermogenes Ebdane.

Former executive secretary Ruben Torres, now serving as the campaign manager of Ebdane, said that some 50 members of the Lakas party, from incumbent and former Cabinet secretaries, congressman, governors, mayors and town officials, met with Ebdane at the Diamond Hotel in Manila to discuss the platform of government that the former public works secretary plans to push.

After the dialogue, they mapped out a manifesto of support for the candidacy of Ebdane.

“While the administration was doing their show, we sat down with the original Lakas members. No shows, just a plain explanation of the platform and people were convinced and now are supporting secretary Ebdane,” Torres said.

Philippine Labor and Peasant party president Jose Malvar Villegas, another Lakas original, said that administration party senatorial bet Silvestre Bello III, a Lakas original, will be meeting with them over the candidacy of Ebdane.

He said that they expect more candidates not only from the administration, but the opposition as well, to meet and jump ship to them.

Torres meanwhile said that they will be meeting with former Speaker Jose de Venecia to discuss as to the next agenda of the Lakas originals.

The administration Lakas-Kampi CMD held its National Convention and formally endorsed the candidacy of Teodoro and his vice presidential candidate television host Edu Manzano.

Conspicuously absent was former President Ramos, a Lakas original.

Ebdane had earlier stated that he would be seeking the endorsement of the former president, in his bid for the highest post in the land.

Among those present included Ed Santos, publicist of Ramos; former Tourism Secretary Ed Pilapil, Former CoA administrator David Forbin, incumbent Cong. Ed Zialcita, and former DoTC Usec. Hilario Battung Jr., Narciso Quigo, former political affairs assistant, among others.

“We expect more people to contact us due to the snowballing support for secretary Ebdane which other candidates are trying to downplay because they could not accept the fact that while they have gone full steam, Jun Ebdane is just starting,’’ Torres said.

Ebdane is set to file his certificate of candidacy on November 29.