ShareThisMANILA – The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld an earlier decision for the legality of the merger of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) for the last May 2010 national elections.
In its resolution dated January 11 but made public only last week, the High Court denied with finality the motion for reconsideration filed by former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., who had questioned the merger of two of the largest political parties in the country before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the SC.
Lakas-Kampi was accredited by the Comelec as the dominant ruling party during the last presidential elections with former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. as its standard bearer.
The high court ruled that De Venecia’s motion for reconsideration raised “no substantial arguments” which would warrant the reversal of its Dec. 16, 2009 resolution.
“No further pleadings or motions will be entertained,” the court added.
In its original resolution, the court held that De Venecia failed to show that the Comelec abused its discretion when it upheld the Lakas-Kampi merger in November 2009.
De Venecia is the erstwhile leader of Lakas which he co-founded with former President Fidel Ramos as the latter’s vehicle for the 1992 presidential polls.
Kampi, on the other hand, was former President Gloria Arroyo’s campaign vehicle in 1998.