MANILA - House Speaker Prospero Nograles on Wednesday belittled the regrouping of 50 original members of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), which effectively breaks up the party's alliance with the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
 
"We remain solid and united despite the media noise created by former Speaker Jose De Venecia and his already retired and inactive so-called former Lakas renegades whose names may long have been removed from our list of active members as they have not been physically attending any of our party meetings in the past," Nograles, who is also vice-chairman the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, said in a text message.
 
Although former President Fidel Ramos was in the Tuesday meeting of the Lakas-CMD "originals" at the Makati residence of de Venecia, Nograles noted that the Lakas founder said in media interviews that he merely attended a "social gathering."
 
De Venecia on Tuesday announced the regrouping of original members of Lakas-CMD and declared that the party is still reigning.

They asserted that the merger with President Arroyo's Kampi party was "illegal and null and void." They also passed a resolution reaffirming the positions of Ramos and de Venecia as the party's chairman emeritus and president, respectively.
 
Ramos earlier rejected the offer of Lakas-Kampi-CMD to become chairman emeritus of the merged party. De Venecia's motion before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to reject Lakas-Kampi-CMD's application for accreditation as a political party is also pending.
 
Those who attended the meeting include former Senators Leticia Ramos-Shahani and Santanina Rasul, Ildefonso Remolona, Luis Lagdameo, Lakas treasurer Tony Vilar, deputy Lakas secretary-general Luis Corral (APEC), and UE law school dean Amado Valdez.

Former Congressmen Toti Cariño (Pasig), Jose Tan Ramirez (Samar), Bert Lumauig (Cordillera), Mars Pineda (Pampanga), and Bojie Cabochan (Bulacan) were also present.

Other attendees were Bert Zipangan (Isabela), retired Col. Willy dela Cruz (Veterans), columnist Chit Pedrosa, MD Rebueno, Freddie Jalasco, Ed Malay, Felipe Siapno, Teddy Manaois, Malvar Rama, June Battung, Mary Ann Robles, Fernando Peña, Boy Saycon, and Wainright Rivera.