President Arroyo's binding words makes the merger of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) and Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) political parties inevitable, a local political leader said Saturday.

"That will not happen. President Arroyo has made it clear that she wants Lakas and Kampi to merge," Candaba, Pampanga Mayor Jerry Pelayo, local spokesman of Kampi, told radio dzMM when asked if the merger talks are really falling apart.

Pelayo said the Kampi officials, including its president, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte, have no other recourse but to abide by Mrs. Arroyo's orders to merge the political party with Lakas.

"I know Congressman Villafuerte. He's not saying the merger is impossible. [Interior] Secretary Ronaldo Puno will follow President Arroyo's orders," the mayor insisted.

The mayor said he is confident the merger will be sealed during a convention in April among members of the two political parties.

President Arroyo has appointed her political affairs adviser, Gabriel Claudio, to lead a national consolidation and unification committee that would work for the "quick" merger of the two parties.

Claudio said he had met with Kampi leaders and gave them two weeks to representatives to the committee. The committee will be tasked to iron out political rifts among of Lakas and Kampi members at the local level.

Villafuerte had said that before the merger talks are elevated to the national level, both parties should be able to solve its local members' differences, which he said would be a daunting task.

Noli is top presidential choice

Pelayo said if the convention pushes through, the merged Kampi-Lakas parties will create a shortlist of four presidential bets.

The mayor said that the probable top bet on the list is Vice President Noli de Castro followed by Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.

"There will be a convention and we will choose a presidential candidate. First on the list is Kabayan Noli de Castro," Pelayo said. He added that a vice-presidential bet will also be chosen during the convention.

If ever De Castro, who has no party affiliations, refuses to join Lakas and run for president, Teodoro might become the Lakas-Kampi parties' bet in 2010.

He said there are also possibilities of nominating a presidential bet from an administration coalition member.

Pelayo said the administration would want to nominate a "winnable" presidential candidate.

De Castro has been the leader in the latest surveys for the top presidential contenders in 2010. De Castro is followed by senators Manuel Villar and Loren Legarda.