2016 agenda as LP men jump to NP in Camarines Sur

LIBMANAN, Camarines Sur—One of the country’s oldest political parties has started consolidating its ranks in the province in preparation for the 2016 elections with the oath taking of new members, including the entire Liberal Party organization in the fourth district.

Stalwarts of the Nacionalista Party (NP)—Senators Cynthia Villar and Bongbong Marcos— witnessed the oath taking of the new NP members in the province.

“This is part of the consolidation process we are undertaking aimed at strengthening the NP’s political machinery in preparation for the 2016 elections,” said  a statement quoting Marcos.

Villafuerte said the swearing in of the new NP members paved the way for a solid NP-led provincial government wherein the governor down to the provincial board members belong to the party.

Well organized

“This only goes to show that the Nacionalista Party is the most organized in the province,” said Villafuerte, who led the oath-taking ceremony in Libmanan town on Thursday.

Villafuerte said the new members included four incumbent mayors, five vice mayors, three board members and hundreds of councilors and barangay captains.

Villafuerte, whose son Miguel is the incumbent governor, said the consolidation was part of the NP’s preparations for the 2016 elections.

He said among those that could run for president under the NP were Marcos and

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

“But of course, it is still too early to tell. We can have an alliance with other parties, too,” Villafuerte said.

Villar, in the same statement, said her husband, former

Sen. Manny Villar, had not expressed any interest in seeking the presidency anew in 2016.

The fourth district is currently represented in the House of Representatives by Dato Arroyo, son of detained former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and who is now on his last term.

Replacement

Talk is now rife that Arroyo’s wife Victoria will run in the place of Dato, although Arroyo’s camp is still mum on this.

A number of Arroyo’s allies, however, have jumped to Villafuerte’s side, notably Libmanan Mayor Marilyn Jimenez and Pamplona Mayor Gimeno Imperial, leaving the Lakas-NUCD and Liberal Party, respectively, in favor of the NP.

Villafuerte now has four of seven mayors in the district on his side, including his existing allies.

Two other mayors who jumped ship to the NP were Ragay Mayor Ricardo Aquino, a former LP member allied with first district Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr., and Goa Mayor Antero Lim, a former LP member in the fourth district of Rep. William Felix Fuentebella, who is with the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

The elder Villafuerte said the decision of Jimenez to join the NP was a “turning point.” Juan Escandor Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon