CABANATUAN CITY – Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. on Monday downplayed the defection of Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. from the administration party to the Nacionalista Party, claiming that there will be other opposition personalities who will soon join their ranks to support his candidacy.

According to Teodoro, he has long been anticipating the defection of Nograles, who is reportedly seeking the mayoral post of Davao City, since he was already showing signs of hesitation of supporting his presidential bid even before rumors that he was jumping ship.

“Wala akong hard feelings kahit kanino. Kasi eto politika, you win some, you lose some. Mawawalan ka ng iba, madadagdagan naman ako sa iba, ganun lang yan.(I don’t have any hard feeling against anyone. This is political reality...you win some, you lose some),” Gibo said in an interview during a meeting with local officials led by Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio “Oyi” Umali at the Nueva Ecija Doctors’ College here.

Governor Umali, along with his daughter Rep. Cherry Umali of the 3rd District of Nueva Ecija, threw their unwavering support to Gibo, who they described as a person who is highly-qualified, with integrity and credibility to run the country if elected president in the May 10 elections.

The 45-year-old Teodoro made the statement in reaction to the reported plan of Nograles to defect to another political party as a result of his frustration on the mounting problems that affect the administration party, specifically on the issue of appropriation of funds for Lakas-Kampi-CMD candidates seeking elective positions from the national down to the local levels.

Nograles, who is Lakas-Kampi-CMD vice chairman, also cited the alleged failure of the Arroyo administration in dismantling the reported private armies in Davao City which are being used to harass voters and candidates in that area.

“Hindi ako pinanganak lang kahapon. Matagal na naming naririnig na hindi siya (Nograles) susuporta sa amin. (I was not born yesterday. We’ve been hearing rumors that he will not support us),” Teodoro claimed.

Prior to the announcement by Nograles’ camp that they are planning to bolt from the Lakas, the House Speaker has been very vocal about his disappointment on the allocation of campaign funds of the administration party which, he claimed, do not reach the local candidates.

Nograles also lamented that the resignation of Teodoro as chairman of the Lakas Kampi CMD along with Sarangani Governor Migs Dominguez as party president was a strong signal that the ruling party is already in total disarray.

Teodoro, a former defense secretary, had claimed that he resigned from his post as party chairman to allow him to focus his efforts on his campaign.

Instead of blaming the government on the unsolved killings which were allegedly perpetrated by the private army in Davao City, Teodoro challenged Nograles to help authorities solve the murder cases by using his influence in Congress.