MANY of his constituents were surprised last Monday after Gov. Loreto Leo Ocampos revealed over the radio that he has bolted out of the ruling Lakas-Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) party over some disagreements.
Ocampos, who heads the 80-strong governors’ league, has been known to be one of the high-profile politicians “very close” to President Gloria Arroyo.
When pressed on his unexpected decision, Ocampos said that he saw the opportunity of taking off from the administration party after his terms and conditions were rejected by Lakas, explaining later that he only demanded that all “favored candidates” in his faction “must be included” in the 2010 elections under the ruling party.
It can be learned that the Lakas-Kampi party in Misamis Occidental is torn between the faction of Ocampos, whose preferred mayoralty candidate is Councilor Maria Constancia Lim, and that of 2nd District Rep. Herminia Ramiro, where Ozamiz City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog’s daughter, Councilor Nova Princess Echavez, was nominated as the official candidate of Lakas for mayor.
Ocampos said that he pushed for Lim to be the mayoralty standard bearer for Lakas in accordance with party principles and guidelines but it was not granted. He also recommended several names as candidates for the two districts but again it was not approved.
The governor, who is eyeing the congressional seat of the second district, said he was persistent with his demands even putting a condition that he will not accept any Lakas nomination if even one member of his camp will be left behind.
“It’s a matter of principle nga dili angayang himoong kandidato ang mga tawo nga walay pagsalig ang katawhan. Tungod niini, akong gibati nga wala nila tan-awa kung kinsa ang angayan nga kuhaon, nga wala silay hanaw sa realidad ug sa tinuod nga sitwasyon, ug dapat lang nga mobulag ako ug ang akong mga kauban sa Lakas,” Ocampos said.
Another reason he parted ways with his party for almost ten years, Ocampos admitted, is the “dismal performance” of their presidential bet, resigned Defense Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr., in presidential surveys.
True enough, Teodoro has been getting poor ratings in the latest Pulse Asia presidential survey with only two percent approval rating, which the former secretary dismissed as his lack of public exposure, not his links with President Gloria Arroyo.
A source from Malacañang, meanwhile, said the president doesn’t mind Ocampos’ defection, and that she doesn’t see it as an act of betrayal but that such “is expected in these situations because not all of the aspirants can be accommodated.”
The governor’s decision to bolt out of Lakas came four days after Parojinog received his certificate of nomination as Lakas’ official candidate for congressional post in the 2nd district.
As of the press time, media sources from Manila said Ocampos has sought affiliation with the Liberal Party, the party of Vice Mayor Carlos Patricio Bernad, a gubernatorial aspirant and a close friend of Parojinog.
REPORT BY NEPTALIE BATOLENIO & MICHAEL MEDINA