The caucus of governors, the ruling party, and even President GMA is disappointed. Not only they felt so down, but they were betrayed as well. A few members of Lakas Kampi has jumped off the boat and sailed away in a different ship.

That is why Albay Gov. Joey Salceda must explain to a thwarted President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo his choice to defect to the camp of Liberal Party (LP) presidential bet Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, according to Malacañang.

“I would imagine she would be disappointed by the decision of the governor. Of course she’d prefer to have him with her chosen successor and not against,” Gary Olivar, the President’s deputy spokesperson, said at a briefing Thursday.

Salceda, an economic adviser to the President, stunned Lakas Kampi when he flew out and acknowledged Noynoy’s proposal to serve as Liberal Party chair in the Region 5. The formal announcement of his defection is set for April 20, on his return from a medical check-up out of the country.

“It’s not my place to evaluate the degree of betrayal. He has to talk to the President and explain himself. I’m sure they have a lot to talk about,” Olivar later said.

On the other hand, Ms Arroyo was in Madrid Thursday on the last leg of her two-nation foreign trip. According to Olivar, the President, upon her return, will organize the national executive committee of Lakas-Kampi-CMD to unite party-mates furthermore behind administration standard bearer Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr.

“She’s expected to attend the executive committee meeting. Perhaps on that occasion, she will take the opportunity, as you put it, to crack the whip and take a firmer hand,” he said.

Aquino could also be betrayed by his latest collaborator, Salceda, said Antique Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar Perez. Salceda’s former supporters in the recently established National Caucus of Governors (NCG) have come out criticizing him for junking Teodoro.

“Noynoy, be careful of Governor Salceda. If he can do it to Gibo, he can do it to you,” Perez said by phone, addressing Aquino.