New political party emerges in Zambales as polls near

IBA, Zambales—Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. started flexing his political muscle after he launched on Wednesday a local party that was expected to field candidates in Zambales.

His son, Zambales Rep. Jun Omar Ebdane, however, failed to join the Liberal Party, the political party of President Aquino.

Ebdane said the Sulong Zambales Party (SZP) was conceived after the May 2010 elections, when he was elected to his first term, but the organization was formally organized only in March this year.

He said he wanted to form a local party to tap local leaders who, despite belonging to different and opposing national political parties, contributed to his leadership.

“Now, under the Sulong Zambales Party, we can do away with the inherent conflict from being affiliated with various national parties, and we can therefore focus our energies on developing our community and serving our province mates,” said Ebdane, who also announced his reelection bid.

Ebdane, a former chief of the Philippine National Police and one of the closest advisers of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said having a local party would prevent local officials from changing party affiliations every time a new administration assumes power.

“They can remain members of their respective national parties, yet will be able to work with us in the provincial level,” he said.

Ebdane, however, did not explain if this arrangement would be acceptable to the major national political parties like LP, Nationalist People’s Coalition, Nacionalista Party and the United Nationalist Alliance, a coalition of the PDP-Laban and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino.

Ebdane’s son, Omar, who represents the province’s second district, was introduced as the president of SZP.

Former Gov. Amor Deloso, one of the top LP leaders in Zambales, said Omar has applied for membership with the LP, but his application has yet to be acted upon by party leaders.

Deloso, however, said Omar had allied with the LP-led majority in the House of Representatives, although he is not officially a member of the party. Sources among officials and political supporters in Zambales said former Gov. Vicente Magsaysay would likely run against Ebdane.