CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines -- As far as the Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro Jr. is concerned, House Speaker Prospero Nograles' departure from the ruling party is not a loss to his presidential bid.

"It won't affect my campaign because he has never aggressively supported me," Teodoro told reporters, on Monday, as he met with local candidates and barangay (village) leaders for a dialogue here.

Flying from neighboring San Jose City by helicopter, Teodoro was met on Thursday by a multitude of barangay leaders and other local candidates who had gathered at the Nueva Ecija College gymnasium for a simple lunch and meeting with the entire Lakas-Kampi-CMD slate.

Accompanying Teodoro in his day-long sorties here was Nueva Ecija Governor Aurelio Umali, who ended the control of the Joson clan over the province for 48 years when he won the elections in 2007.

Speaking with reporters here, Teodoro said he has been expecting Nograles to bolt from the party. "I was not born yesterday, I've been hearing that a long time ago," he said.

Confirming his plans to abandon the party on Monday, Nograles cited the lack of consultation among its members, including him as one of the vice-chairmen. Nograles is running for mayor in Davao City against Vice Mayor Sara Duterte, daughter of incumbent Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

The administration's failure to supposedly address the killings, of which seven of his campaign volunteers were victims, carried out allegedly by Duterte's private armies was among the reasons that pushed him to abandon the ruling coalition.

But Teodoro, former defense secretary and a Harvard-trained lawyer, wondered why Nograles did not raise his gripes to the party earlier when it could have looked for solutions to his problems.

He also pointed out that Nograles could have done something about the "extrajudicial killings" in Davao City as the Speaker. "He was in the position to help reinforce criminal justice there."

He added that although he has been friends with Duterte since 1991, he never approached the Davao City mayor for an endorsement because of his loyalty to Nograles and the party.

"Mayor Duterte and I have been friends because I was one of his lawyers in his fight for justice in 1991 but I did not ask him to endorse me because of my loyalty to my party," Teodoro disclosed. The Dutertes are running under Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III's Liberal Party.

Teodoro also said his camp was prepared for more defections from the party in the coming weeks, but he remained confident that his network of volunteers in the provinces would help deliver votes for the entire Lakas-Kampi-CMD slate on May 10.

He also pointed out that he would still continue to receive massive support in Davao City, where he was scheduled to barnstorm next week, despite the exit of Nograles from the ruling party because there were other local linchpins like the Dizons who would back his candidacy.

Earlier, former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. said he had predicted the exodus of party members because of the growing cracks in the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, comparing its fate to the doomed Titanic.

De Venecia also said he was hoping that the Supreme Court would favor his motion for reconsideration asking to return Lakas-CMD to him.

Reacting to De Venecia's remarks, Teodoro appealed on Monday to the former Speaker to "accept his role in history and let others continue."

The ruling party's standard-bearer also pointed out that he and his wife, Tarlac Representative Monica Prieto-Teodoro supported his speakership three times "without seeking any recompense." Teodoro said now would be the time for De Venecia to support him.

Asked to comment on Nograles' exodus, senatorial candidate Raul Lambino said former Lakas-Kampi-CMD allies bolting the party were the "penultimate form" of traditional politicians who only gave premium to their interests rather than the public's.

"If they don't have loyalty to their party and their party-mates, how can they become loyal to the people?" Lambino asked.

But it was better for wavering candidates to defect now than at the last minute when "we won't be able to repair the damage anymore," Lambino told reporters in an interview here.

Lambino joined Teodoro in the sorties here along with other senatorial bets former justice secretary Silvestre Bello III and broadcaster Rey Langit.

"This defections may even be beneficial to the interest of a sincere and honest candidate like Teodoro because people frown upon this kind of actuations by politicians," added Lambino.

He added, "we may lose these traditional politicians but we are going to gain the support of the people, and we are confident about that."