In May 2009, Lakas–CMD merged with Arroyo's Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino, thereby being known as Lakas Kampi CMD, a completely new entity. In May 2012, Lakas Kampi CMD renamed itself again as Lakas–CMD after the separation of KAMPI.
In November 1991, former National Defense SecretaryFidel V. Ramos joined the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) in order to gain its support for his 1992 presidential bid. The LDP National Convention was held to nominate the party's presidential and vice presidential candidates for 1992. After losing the presidential nomination to Mitra, Ramos bolted the LDP and organized the United People Power Movement (UPPM) with then PangasinanRepresentativeJose de Venecia Jr. The new organization was officially named Lakas ng Tao (or Lakas ng EDSA) and formally launched on January 3, 1992, at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan.
NUCD–UDMP logo
Upon de Venecia's initiative, Ramos merged Lakas ng Tao with the National Union of Christian Democrats (NUCD), a cluster of the defunct Progressive Party, to form Lakas–National Union of Christian Democrats. Some of LDP members were raided by Ramos and De Venecia to join their newly-formed party, which LDP co-founder Peping Cojuangco criticized.
In 1997, Lakas–NUCD was joined by the United Muslim Democrats of the Philippines (UMDP) of former Ambassador Sanchez Ali, thereby changing the party's name to Lakas–National Union of Christian Democrats–United Muslim Democrats of the Philippines (Lakas–NUCD–UMDP). In November that year, Lakas held a national convention to select its nominees for the 1998 national elections. The long list of contenders for the presidential nomination had been abridged into a close fight between Ramos' two leading political lieutenants, House Speaker de Venecia and former Defense Secretary Renato de Villa. After rounds of secret balloting, de Venecia won the nomination and was officially proclaimed as the Lakas presidential nominee for the 1998 election.
De Venecia lost the presidential election to Vice President Joseph Estrada of Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino by a significant plurality. Arroyo won the vice presidency in the same manner as Estrada, defeating Estrada's running mate, Senator Edgardo Angara. Arroyo emerged victorious in the vice presidential race while KAMPI was in hiatus.
In early 2004, the party's name was changed into the current Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas–CMD). However, the meaning of Lakas in the party name was now referred to as "Lakas ng EDSA" ("The Strength of EDSA") from the original "Lakas ng Tao" ("People Power"). This was also the name that the party used when it participated in the 2004 Philippine general election as the leading member of the K4 Coalition.
Presidential nomination
By 2003, Arroyo stated that she will not run for a full term. Because of her statements, Senators Jun Magsaysay, Dr. Juan Flavier, and Loren Legarda declared their intention to get the Lakas presidential nomination. But only Magsaysay and Flavier are those party members who is contenders are willing to give way if Arroyo retracted her statement and run for presidential elections.[3] Flavier also said that if Legarda campaign for presidential nomination, he will withdraw.[4] Legarda that time finds her potential running mate with the likes of Raul Roco, and President Arroyo.[5]
Legarda and Vice President Tito Guingona later leave Lakas to join the opposition, with Legarda as the vice presidential candidate.[6]
After Poe's unsuccessful bid to the presidency, his supporters viewed the election results as fraudulent and came under legal protest by Poe and his running-mate, former Senator Loren Legarda. The poll protests were later thrown out by the Supreme Court acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET).
At the onset of 2006, Lakas–CMD was torn by factional rivalry between supporters of President Arroyo and supporters of former President Fidel V. Ramos. Issues include transitory provisions in a proposed Constitution to scrap the 2007 midterm elections ("no-el") and calls for her to step down in time for the elections. The party held its Annual Party Directorate Meeting in January 2006 to discuss these matters.
There are no official results available of the 2007 elections released by Lakas–CMD but according to the House of Representatives, the party held 79 out of 235 seats.
On January 16, 2008, Lakas–CMD spokesman and legal counsel Raul Lambino stated that Lakas officially released the list of senatorial bets for 2010. Except for Parañaque Representative Eduardo Zialcita, they were not yet identified. However, Lambino named incumbent Senators Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid, former senator Ralph Recto and former Congressman Prospero Pichay as among those considered.[7]
De Venecia's resignation
Jose de Venecia resigned his post as president of Lakas on March 10, 2008, and rejected the proposition of Ramos to give him the title of chairman emeritus. House Speaker Prospero Nograles and former House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. were sworn as party president and vice president for Metro Manila affairs on the same day, respectively.
Merger with KAMPI
On June 18, 2008, President Gloria Arroyo confirmed the historical merger of the Lakas–CMD and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI) parties. Both parties adopted the “equity of the incumbent” principle, as the merger will account for almost 200 national and 8,000 local officials, amid Arroyo's prediction of victory in the 2010 elections. Nograles and KAMPI Chairman Ronaldo Puno signed the covenant at the regional caucus held in Davao City.[8][9] Ramos, the party chairman-emeritus, announced on February 6, 2008, that Lakas–CMD would be the surviving entity after its merger with KAMPI.[10]
On August 9, 2009, de Venecia and Ramos led fifty members from the Lakas–Kampi–CMD in objecting to its merger with KAMPI. The faction elected de Venecia as president and Ramos as chairman emeritus. However, Ramos later refused the offer of being named in the interim party organization. De Venecia has filed a resolution at the Commission on Elections to declare the merger null and void.[11] However, the Supreme Court ultimately upheld the legality of the merger,[12] citing the failure of de Venecia “to sufficiently show that any grave abuse of discretion was committed by the Commission on Elections in rendering the challenged resolution.”[13]
Lakas-CMD has always focused on economic growth and development, stronger ties with the United States, creation of jobs, and strong cooperation between the executive and legislative branches of government. It is known for its advocacy of a shift from the present presidential system to a parliamentary form of government through constitutional amendments and through establishing peace talks with Muslim separatists and communist rebels. The party democracy is distinct in its ecumenical inclusion of Muslim leaders in its political alliance.[2]
