PILI, Camarines Sur – Amidst observation that the camp of Rep. Luis R. Villafuerte has of late suddenly held off its wild punches against his son, Camarines Sur Gov. L-Ray F. Villafuerte, signs remain unclear whether the two political giants in the province would soon kiss and make up as campaign season for the local polls nears.

        This, as Malacañan early this week formed an arbitration committee that would resolve conflicts in various areas of the country where allied parties of the ruling coalition are running or fielding candidates against each other in the May polls.

        Incidentally, Rep. Luis R. Villafuerte of Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino (Kampi) is a member of the arbitration committee composed of House Speaker Jose de Venecia of Lakas-CMD, Frisco San Juan of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), Manila Mayor Lito Atienza and Ilocos Sur Rep. Eric Singson representing their faction of the Liberal Party.

        President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as head of Lakas-CMD, will preside over the first meeting of the arbitration committee which, among others, will resolve conflicts among various political parties comprising the ruling alliance on whom to support for a particular post if more than one member of the ruling alliance is eyeing the same post.

        Gov. Villafuerte belongs to Lakas-CMD while the congressman father is the chair of Kampi. Both were reported putting up separate opposing slates, from governor to provincial board members and mayors and councilors in the municipal level.

        Pressed for comment by the Bicol Mail, Tigaon Mayor Elmo Bombase, a loyal ally of the elder Villafuerte, said there was no truth to speculations that both father and son have come to terms to eventually put up a unified slate in the coming local election.

        Bombase’s dismissal of reconciliation on talks came on the heels of fresh report that there is no way for Vice-Governor Salvio Fortuno to back out from his intention to run for congressman in Camarines Sur’s 4th district, as opposed to incumbent Rep. Ciriaco Alfelor, who together with Rep. Villafuerte had forged the alliance between the two erstwhile political rivals for the May polls, on condition that, among others, Villafuerte would not field his own candidates to challenge the Alfelors in the Rincondada district.

        Fortuno, an ally of Gov. L-Ray, said his slate in Rinconada’s municipal elections has been completed and ready to challenge the unified Alfelor-LRV ticket.

        Rep. Luis R. Villafurete had earlier said that Fortuno, a former congressman who earlier trounced Alfelor, would not have second chance against Alfelor.

        But talks of the father and son reunion persist as party leaders from both camps confided that they could not fully believe that the two would come to a full-blown conflict come election day which could be the first of its kind in Philippine local politics.

        Observers said reconciliation between father and son, especially on the eleventh hour, could bring local ward leaders in disarray, particularly in the municipal levels where slates have been practically completed. But then, others said, such eventuality could be resolved in the end, knowing the Villafuertes’ cunning political ascendancy in the province, with the weaker ones easily sacrificed in the altar of political vested interests.

        Meanwhile, reports have reached Bicol Mail that Rep. Noli Fuentebella’s attempt to be admitted into the Andaya-LRV-Alfelor alliance following the Nationalist People’s Coalition’s alliance with the ruling coalition in the national level has been outrightly rejected by Rep. Luis R. Villafuuerte.

        The elder Villafuerte reportedly could not accept Fuentebella as the newest bedfellow as the former wanted the latter to suffer the price of having supported the impeachment move against President Arroyo.

        Fuentebella is running for re-election with his own tickets in the 3rd district’s mayoral election, including candidates to the provincial board.