Danding party in Pangasinan leans toward UNA

VILLASIS, Pangasinan—Supporters of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) in Pangasinan welcomed United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) senatorial candidates here on Wednesday at the start of their two-day campaign in this vote-rich province.

This show of support validated speculation that the local NPC chapter would not back all senatorial candidates of Team PNoy, an administration coalition composed of NPC, the ruling Liberal Party, Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino and the Akbayan party-list group.

Big deal

“The mere fact that Governor [Amado] Espino Jr. has been very open to the UNA candidates, [the NPC reception] is a big deal for us,” said UNA senatorial candidate and Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay. Espino is seeking a third term under NPC.

Another NPC stalwart, Pangasinan Rep. Kimi Cojuangco, was at the backstage before the rally began on Wednesday, but she said she dropped by to welcome NPC candidates affiliated with UNA.

UNA candidates

“I’m here to welcome [former Senator Ernesto] Maceda, [Cagayan Rep. Jackie] Enrile, Senator [Gregorio] Honasan and [San Juan Rep.] JV Ejercito, who is a close friend and my seatmate in Congress,” Cojuangco said.

She did not speak at the UNA rally. She said her campaign motorcade ended for the day in front of this town’s hall, just across the covered auditorium where the UNA rally was held.

NPC supporters from Cojuangco’s motorcade crossed the national highway to attend the UNA rally.

In February, former Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco, NPC provincial chair, told reporters in Lingayen town that the NPC would support NPC senatorial candidates “and then we would have guest candidates from LP and UNA.”

Local fallout

“I think we benefited from the local elections, between Governor Espino and [Alaminos City Mayor] Hernani Braganza. I think the treatment given to Governor Espino by the administration definitely made it advantageous for us,” Magsaysay said.

She was referring to the plunder charge filed against Espino in December 2012 and a murder charge filed in February.

 ‘Make or break’

She said that Pangasinan is “very important to UNA because of its more than 1.6 million voters.” “And let’s face it, Pangasinan can make or break any senatorial candidate,” she said.

Asked if she believed Espino has the solid support of Pangasinan voters, Magsaysay said: “Well, you know, we are looking at how many mayors are running under NPC.”

Mayoral candidates

Commission on Elections records show that NPC fielded 43 mayoral candidates in 48 towns and cities of the province, with 28 of them running for reelection. On the other hand, LP backed 29 mayoral candidates, including three reelectionists.

The Inquirer earlier reported that, in Negros Occidental, NPC founder Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco instructed his political lieutenants to support only seven candidates for senator—JV Ejercito, Loren Legarda, Chiz Escudero, Jack Enrile, Grace Poe, Edgardo Angara Jr. and Bam Aquino. Gabriel Cardinosa, Inquirer Northern Luzon