City's Lakas-PDP merger collapses

A reincarnation of the dream team of former mayor Jose Torralba and vice mayor Jorge Cabalit which saw action for at least three electoral battles failed to take off after the merger talks of the ruling Lakas and the PDP-Laban collapsed in earnest. The two made a formidable tandem in the 1995, 1998 and 2001 elections.

The collapse of the coalition talks took place yesterday during the PDP Executive Committee meeting held at the JJ's Seafood Village . The meeting was presided over by Kagawad Edgar Bompat, the highest ranking elected official of the PDP-Laban. Earlier, former kagawad Felipe de la Torre Jr., self-appointed spokesman of the group went on air to announce that the Torralba-Cabalit is back in harness and it is ready to take any pretender to the city mayoralty crown now worn by City Mayor Dan Lim. De la Torre's premature announcement was culled from a previous meeting between two negotiating panels of the two parties.

Torralba is the city's Lakas chair. During that meeting, it was agreed that Torralba will team up with the PDP-Laban whose former titular head is Cabalit. Lakas and PDP had a falling out in the 2004 elections after Torralba chose his wife, Alberta , as Lakas standard bearer instead of Cabalit. Since politicians are known for its short memories everything was forgotten and Torralba and Cabalit were back in each others arms. But the political reunion proved to be short lived.

In yesterday's meeting, the coalition talks collapsed after most of the PDP Laban leaders opted to seek for greener pastures in its bid to merge with other political groups like the one headed by Mayor Lim. Under the PDP's merger plan, four of its members— Bompat, de la Torre, Cogon barangay kagawad Jerry Pabe and Charles Cabalit will be included in anybody's ticket provided it will work to the party's advantage. For example, the party is looking for its own “white knight in a shining armor” who can provide them logistical support in the coming elections.

One of the main irritants the PDP considered if it merges with Torralba's Lakas is that each candidate will be made to chip in at least P60,000 in pot money which is normal in any political grouping. The PDP is hoping that under Lim's party, they will be taken in as “free rides.” Asked of this possibility where he has become the apple of the eye of the PDP, Mayor Lim said he appreciated the gesture. He said he held talks with Cabalit after the fateful meeting yesterday but retorted that everything is fluid as far as city politics is concerned. If all options fail, the PDP according to sources inside the party, will be forced to run as councilors even if it means that they will be left to their own devices. This means that they will run even without standard bearers to guide them on the road to perdition or victory.

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