MANILA, Philippines - The ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD is mulling the expulsion of Bukidnon Gov. Jose Zubiri for endorsing Sen. Manny Villar instead of backing the party's official candidate for the presidency, Gilbert Teodoro.
Teodoro, who is lagging behind Villar, Sen. Benigno Aquino III, and former Joseph Estrada in the presidential surveys, said Gov. Zubiri cannot stay on as member of the administration party after endorsing the Nacionalista Party standard-bearer.
"The party will take the appropriate measures...I believe there are calls for that (expulsion)," he said.
Teodoro said Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, the son of the Bukidnon governor, as well as the governor's two other children holding local posts, will stay with Lakas-Kampi-CMD.
Only Gov. Zubiri may be removed from the ruling party, he added.
Teodoro could not hide his disappointment over the elder Zubiri's withdrawal of support, especially since the Bukidnon governor is the provincial chairman of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD.
"Noong una pa, nag-wawaver naman ang support ni Gov. Zubiri. Blowing hot and cold eh," he said.
On Tuesday, Teodoro campaigned in Marikina City, the bailiwick of former Lakas-Kampi-CMD official, Bayani Fernando, who is now the running mate of Bagumbayan-Volunteers for a New Philippines Sen. Richard Gordon.
Sen. Zubiri distanced himself from his father's move to jump ship and join Villar's NP.
In a press statement, Sen. Zubiri apologized for what his father has done. He assured that he, as well as Bukidnon 3rd district Rep. Jose Ma. Zubiri III, would continue to support Teodoro and his running mate, Edu Manzano.
Political observers are not surprised by the move taken by the Zubiri family to support two candidates.
They said many political families have been doing this to ensure that whoever wins in the presidential race, they will still have ties to Malacañang.
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