ALBAY Rep. Joey Salceda, who supported the presidential bid of former Vice President Leni Robredo, yesterday officially joined the new administration coalition by returning to his old party, the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD).
Salceda, who is hoping to retain his chairmanship of the powerful House committee on ways and means under the Marcos administration, was among three lawmakers who took their oath as Lakas members before the party’s president, incoming Speaker Martin Romualdez, at the Aguado Residence in Malacañang.
Salceda thanked the former ruling party PDP-Laban for accepting and sup-porting him in the past six years under the Duterte administration.
“I rejoined my party (Lakas) from 2001 to 2010 having been a presidential economic adviser and chief of staff of PGMA (former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), longtime friend and adviser of Vice President Sara Duterte (who is Lakas chairman) and of course as chief campaigner of the 2019 speakership bid of incoming Speaker Martin Romualdez,” he said.
While Salceda did not support President Marcos Jr. in the presidential race, he campaigned heavily for his running mate, then Davao Mayor Sara Duterte.
Aside from Salceda, the two other lawmakers who joined Lakas were Maria Vanessa Aumentado of Bohol’s second district and Ian Paul Dy of Isabela’s third district.
Lakas-CMD now has 60 members, making it one of the biggest political groups in the House of Representatives.
Romualdez, who is a first cousin of the President, said Lakas-CMD’s expansion “will strengthen support in Congress for the legislative and unity agenda of President Bongbong Marcos.”
Lakas-CMD is considered as the new ruling party after having supported the candidacies of Marcos Jr. and Duterte, who chairs the party.
Last Tuesday, regional political party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) president and Davao Occidental Rep. Claude Bautista and Pangasinan Rep. Rachel Arenas took their oath as Lakas-CMD members.
