THE RIFT between Liberal Party (LP) stalwarts – Senators Francis Pangilinan and Mar Roxas – is widening. The latest crack in the supposedly solid ranks of LP is the resignation of Pangilinan as party chairman.

Pangilinan was replaced by former Senator Franklin Drilon who once harped on running as Iloilo City representative following rosy survey results only to back out down the stretch, leaving his supporters hanging.

But there are reports that Roxas, who is the LP president, kicked the better half of superstar Sharon Cuneta because of political differences. 

An inquirer.net/Philippine Daily Inquirer report quoted Pangilinan as saying: “I don’t want to cramp his style. We have differences in opinions, in political views.”

Pangilinan also said in the same report that “he stepped down as party chair because he did not agree with the decision of Roxas to align the party with the Estrada-led opposition.”

“He (Pangilinan) said he tendered his courtesy resignation as LP chair last Nov. 21 to give Roxas a free hand to appoint party officials upon his election as party president on Nov. 26,” the report added.

Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III said LP members gave Roxas the “blanket authority” in appointing and sacking party officers “as he pleased” when the latter was elected LP president November last year.

“The Roxas-Pangilinan feud surfaced early this year when Pangilinan insisted that Roxas should go through a selection process before the latter can proclaim himself as the party’s presidential standard-bearer,” the news report said.

What’s happening with LP? Is this a case of insecurity or power tripping?

Pangilinan and Roxas have similarities. Kiko, as Pangilinan is fondly called, is the husband of Sharon Cuneta while Mar is linked to TV personality Korina Sanchez.

Both are young and articulate in their stands on various issues. And both are good presidential timbers although I have yet to be convinced by their accomplishments, especially Roxas who hails from Capiz.

The problem with Roxas is that he rushed things up when he openly declared his intention to run for president sans a viable selection process.

Recalling the classic philosophy on organizational rifts, the case of the Pangilinan-Roxas split is an exemplar on the conflicts between intra-party cliques.

Pangilinan maybe outnumbered by LP members rooting for Roxas but he raised a vital point and ugly side of Philippine politics.

Unlike in the US where citizens and party members hold primaries to select their next presidential bets, Philippine parties still control the knobs and combinations of the next elections.

The next piece would expound why we need more elections despite the expenses.

For now, the Pangilinan-Roxas rift shows why it’s always prudent to take things in stride.

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