Liberal Party (LP)'s President-apparent Senator Noynoy Aquino (center) links hands with congressman-elect QC Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. (left) and Quezon Rep. Erin Tañada (right), in a gesture of party unity and solidarity. (Photo by JAY MORALES)

Quezon Rep. Erin Tañada has given up his bid for the House speakership in favor of returning Quezon City Rep. Feliciano “SB” Belmonte Jr. to prevent division among members of the Liberal Party (LP) in the lower chamber of Congress.

Tañada said he announced his decision before 28 LP congressmen who attended the party caucus at the Balay Expo Centro, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City late Wednesday.

“Most of them (LP members) are my friends, that is why I don’t want them to feel torn between choosing who to support for the speakership. I don’t want to drag the party in a political intramurals because it may just affect the party in the long run,” he said, adding his belief that Belmonte will be a formidable candidate against Lakas-Kampi-CMD's possible bet, President Gloria Arroyo.

With Tañada’s sacrifice, the LP formally endorsed Belmonte’s bid for the House speakership during the caucus, which was attended by Senators Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III and Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.

“We will support him, we will campaign for him and I am confident that he will emerge as the speaker,” Roxas said in a statement.

However, Tañada is expected to challenge Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales II for the post of majority floorleader should LP’s Belmonte become the House speaker.

As this developed, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, also a candidate for speaker under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD (LKC), said that the Arroyo-backed party will also decide “very soon” who will be fielded as challenger to Belmonte.

Lagman said the LKC speakership candidate will anchor his argument for the top post on two considerations: Popular mandate and constitutional prescription.

He said the party won the most number of seats in the Lower House. He added that an LKC speaker will guarantee “checks and balances” between the executive and legislative branches of government.

The former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations also warned both the LP and LKC partymates who are set to defect to Belmonte’s group.

“LP cannot use patronage as a carrot to recruit members coming from other party. During the campaign, LP promised to put an end to political patronage. But if they agree to bargain in exchange for additional members, they might renege on this promise,” Lagman told reporters during the Ayes and Nays News Forum in Quezon City.

The Albay solon recalled that in 1992 and 1998 the dominant political party then “hemorrhaged” because of defections.

“This is a grim reminder that those who join the administration party will be second-class citizens who just the same would be bringing begging bowls to Malacañang,” Lagman added.

Tañada, chairman of the House Committee on Human Rights, admitted that LP, being the political party backed by the next government administration, will be the party in power and will “rightly or wrongly have easier access and have additional projects or assistance” from the executive branch.

Warning to political butterflies

He said an LP speakership will give priority to original party members among congressmen, apparently a warning to defectors that they would second-class citizens under the new administration.

“We received clear marching orders that we have first to protect LP members who have been with us from the start,” Tañada said.

LP men, Tañada stressed, will have priority opportunity to head committees.

“Kokonti lang naman iyon. After that we move on to our coalition partners,” Tañada said. (“There are only a few of us.”)

Belmonte has said that he had already discussed the formation of a coalition partnership with several political parties, including the Nacionalista Party headed by Sen. Manuel Villar.

He added that talks are also being held with the Nationalist People’s Coalition, adding that even LKC members have started to “flock LP” and will support his candidacy for speaker.

But if the LP is now unified to back Belmonte’s bid for the House leadership, Tañada said the case in the Senate remains different as both Senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Franklin “Frank” Drilon are eyeing the Senate presidency.

“I would not say that someone between the two should give way for the other because I believe they are sensible enough to realize the difficulty of having two or more candidates. LP senators should talk among themselves to come up with a unanimous decision,” Tañada added.

When asked how he would treat the outgoing President as a colleague being Pampanga 2nd District’s congressman-elect, Tañada said he will respect her voice as a co-equal member of the House, much like world boxing icon Manuel “Manny” Pacquiao as Saranggani’s congressman-elect.

“Whether from the administration or opposition, we are all co-equal members of the House who has his or her own opinion on certain issues that everyone should respect,” he said.

Meanwhile, Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, a former president of the Governors’ League of the Philippines, said Belmonte is the best candidate for House speaker under the administration of president-apparent Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

Del Rosario said that compared to other rumored candidates for speaker, Belmonte is best suited for the job.

“He (Belmonte) is the right speaker for the Noynoy (Aquino) regime. The alternative is terrible,” Del Rosario said.

“Belmonte knows his politics. And I found him to be an excellent one. He was damn good executive,” the Mindanaoan governor added. (With a report from Ben O. Tesiorna)