MANILA - Former President Fidel V. Ramos on Tuesday said he has rejected the offer to be the chairman emeritus of the newly-merged ruling party, Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-Kampi-CMD).

In a press conference at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport before leaving for Thailand, Ramos said he declined the position because of the new party's failure to act on his "concerns" regarding the merger.

Party stalwarts have said the Lakas-Kampi-CMD machinery will be the key to the victory of the administration in 2010, even if none of its presidential aspirants are doing well in opinion polls.

Ramos said he had sent a letter to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, telling her that the merger of the three parties was made without effective countrywide consultations with Lakas party's national leadership.

He said the merger between Lakas-CMD and Kampi, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's original party in the 1998 national elections, is actually not final because it has to be ratified by Lakas-CMD general assembly.

Ramos’s position on the Lakas-Kampi-CMD merger is similar to that of ousted House Speaker Jose de Venecia, who formed the original Lakas Tao party with Ramos in 1991.

The late President Corazon Aquino endorsed Ramos for the presidency in 1992, even if the ruling Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) chose then House Speaker Ramon Mitra.

Surprised, saddened

Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio said the newly-merged party is saddened by Ramos’s decision to turn down the chairman emeritus post.

Claudio said the decision has “taken us by surprise, but which, we respect nonetheless.”

“We regret very much that our position and explanation regarding the Party's compliance of internal procedures for the merger appear to have been inadequate to him,” he said.

Claudio added: “With due respect, we maintain that the political and legal bases and processes behind the merger, including those on due consultations, are cogent, firm and valid.” - report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News