Home 
MANILA, Philippines ? With the ruling party smarting from defections of key officials, Malacañang officials can only rue that ?balimbingan? (turncoatism) still seems to be the order of the day.
As the administration fails to stem the exodus of members bolting the party, it appears to be having a tough time assembling a ?compact? senatorial slate.
?Balimbingan is not only part of the political culture these days but has always been part of the Filipino political culture. It?s really nothing new and it is really to be expected,? Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said in a briefing.
Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III, also a party official, agreed, saying, ?It?s nothing new.?
Big figures, such as former Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto, his wife Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos, and Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, have bolted Lakas-Kampi-CMD to join the Liberal Party this week.
Party officials claimed they were informed of the Recto couple?s decision to switch to the LP side. They also said they understood Belmonte?s decision because he was a close ally of the late President Corazon C. Aquino, whose son Sen. Benigno Aquino III is LP?s presumptive standard-bearer.
After Thursday?s proclamation of resigned Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and actor-TV host Edu Manzano as its presidential and vice presidential candidates, the party has not finalized its senatorial lineup.
Bello said he and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III were having second thoughts about Malacañang?s offer that they run for Senate seats under Lakas.
?Oh, by the way, I would like to put on record that although I have been considered by the party, which I find to consider a distinct honor, let me inform you that the question of running for the Senate under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD is still under very serious consideration and it has to go through a process of consultation with my constituency and especially with my family,? Bello said.
He said his wife preferred that he ran for a congressional seat in Isabela.
