LP in Pangasinan slams Ranjit for turnaround

DAGUPAN CITY—Liberal Party (LP) leaders in Pangasinan expressed disappointment over Board Member Ranjit Shahani’s turnaround when he junked the party’s gubernatorial candidate to support the reelection bid of Gov. Amado Espino Jr.

The local LP, in a statement, also said party officials were dismayed that Shahani had been “media-hopping” in his “furious attempt to besmirch the name of the LP and its process in selecting official candidates for … Pangasinan.”

“We are saddened by this turn of events for we thought [Shahani], a ranking LP leader in Pangasinan, has finally taken to heart the party’s vision of ‘Sa Daang Matuwid, Asensong Walang Patid’ for the province,” the LP said.

Shahani, in radio interviews, said he was withdrawing his support for his cousin, Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza, who is the LP’s official candidate for governor. He said he would support the reelection bids of Espino and his running mate, Vice Gov. Ferdinand Calimlim.

Shahani, son of former Sen. Leticia Ramos-Shahani and a former Pangasinan representative, had aspired to be the LP’s candidate for vice governor, but LP leaders chose Arturo Lomibao, the former Philippine National Police chief, to be the party’s candidate for the post.

Former Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino, LP spokesperson in Pangasinan, said the party’s leaders have yet to discuss what sanction to mete on Shahani for betraying the party through his statements.

“Betrayal means expulsion, but we will give him his day in court because the LP, contrary to what he said, practices democratic principles,” Lambino told the Inquirer.

But he said he was happy that Shahani turned his back on the party this early. “Because if he behaves that way, he is not worthy of the LP’s causes,” he said.

In an earlier interview with reporters here, Shahani said he was willing to sacrifice if he was not chosen as LP’s official candidate for vice governor.

But when party leaders announced that Lomibao would be the LP’s candidate for vice governor, Shahani claimed that there was lack of transparency in the selection process.

Lambino described Shahani as an “active participant” in the identification of possible candidates since the party started the process more than eight months ago.

“In fact, he was instrumental in finalizing the list of official candidates who were eventually given certificates of nomination and acceptance by LP provincial leaders,” Lambino said.

“It is no secret in Pangasinan that Ranjit had been aspiring to be named as the official candidate of the Liberal Party for the vice gubernatorial post. He had intimated this ambition to local party leaders, and he had agreed to subject himself to the selection process,” he said.

He said the LP leadership had expected Shahani to respect the decision of party leaders in Pangasinan, which had been approved by national party leaders.  Yolanda Sotelo, Inquirer Northern Luzon