After jumping ship, Salceda meets Aquino

LEGAZPI CITY—Albay Gov. Joey Salceda on Thursday joined President Aquino at the inauguration of a bridge here weeks after ditching administration standard-bearer Mar Roxas for rival Sen. Grace Poe.

Salceda, who bolted the ruling Liberal Party (LP), seemed to be the odd man out when he, the President and other local officials rode a pickup truck for a drive-through the Yawa bridge here.

The governor was clad in a white long-sleeved shirt, Poe’s campaign color, while Mr. Aquino, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson and Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal were wearing yellow shirts, the administration’s signature color.

Salceda, now running as an independent congressional candidate in Albay’s second district, said he and Mr. Aquino did not talk about his decision to support Poe instead of Roxas.

“We already talked about that last April,” he said.

“I really wanted him [Mr. Aquino] to be happy in Albay. We had a very warm clasp of hands and I welcomed him as our own President,” Salceda added in a phone interview with the Inquirer after the bridge opening.

If at all, Salceda said he and Mr. Aquino, who was his classmate at Ateneo de Manila University, talked about some projects in the province.

In the 2010 presidential elections, Salceda, then an ally of outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, bolted the administration party, dropping its candidate Gilberto Teodoro Jr. in favor of then Senator Aquino of LP, who was eventually elected president.

After the minutelong ride through the P87-million bridge that connects Maharlika Highway to the villages of Bonot and Rawis here, Mr. Aquino headed to San Roque village to inspect and inaugurate the Tibu River Pumping Station, a P335-million flood control project.

Rosal thanked Mr. Aquino for supporting all major projects in Legazpi.

Rosal said party members here respected Salceda’s decision to leave the LP, but they would continue to back Roxas and the administration slate.

“I will carry the load for the second district of Albay [to ensure the administration candidates’ victory],” he said.

After having lunch with Roxas’ running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, at the Crown Park restuarant, the President mingled with the crowd at the Pacific Mall and distributed yellow ballers of LP candidates.

They then headed to Ligao City to attend a campaign rally.  With reports from Shan Gabriel Apuli, Rexan Nuarin and Mary Jane de Guzman, Inquirer Southern Luzon interns