BAGUIO CITY — “Asenso,” Abra province’s biggest political party, has forged ties with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago.
Led by reelectionist Gov. Maria Jocelyn Valera-Bernos, Asenso has about 5,000 members, including 25 of 27 Abra town mayors, Abra Rep. Joseph Bernos and Vice Gov. Ronald Balao-as.
Adopted daughter
“We had long wanted to shed the stigma of a province wrought by violence, by joining Hugpong,” said Governor Bernos, who is running against Dolores Mayor Robero Seares Jr. of the administration PDP-Laban.
To cement the partnership, Bernos and Duterte exchanged symbolic keys. Duterte, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, was also adopted as a “daughter of Abra” and given the name “Dulimaman,” after a Tingguian hero.
With Mayor Duterte during the program held in Bangued, the capital town of Abra, were senatorial candidates Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Maguindanao Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu, Harry Roque, Sen. JV Ejercito, Francis Tolentino and Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla, who was representing her husband, detained former Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr.
Dagupan race
In Pangasinan province, the son of the late Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez Jr. has filed his candidacy for Dagupan City vice mayor as substitute candidate of Nacionalista Party.
Alipio Serafin Fernandez, a former city councilor, will run under the slate of mayoral candidate Brian Lim, the incumbent vice mayor and son of former Dagupan Mayor Benjamin Lim. —Reports from Karlston Lapniten and Yolanda Sotelo