24 House members join Noy's Liberal Party

MANILA, Philippines - Twenty-four newly elected congressmen were sworn in last night as new members of the Liberal Party (LP) of incoming president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

Most of the defectors are neophyte members of the House of Representatives belonging to the administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD of President Arroyo.

Among those who joined the LP were Maria Carmen Apsay of Compostela Valley, Amado Bagatsing of Manila, Maria Jocelyn Bernos of Abra, Jose Carlos Cari of Leyte, Max Dalog of Mt. Province, Rogelio Espina of Biliran, Salvio Fortuno of Camarines Sur, Mylene Garcia of Davao City and Joeben Miraflores of Aklan.

The other new LP members are Joaquin Carlos Nava (Guimaras), Rene Relampagos (Bohol), Arturo Robes (San Jose del Monte, Bulacan), Herminia Roman (Bataan), Jesus Sacdalan (Cotabato), Andres Salvacion (Leyte), Mel Sarmiento (Samar), Eric Singson Jr. (Ilocos Sur), Marcelino Teodoro (Marikina City), Jerry Trenas (Iloilo), Rodolfo Valencia (Oriental Mindoro), Joseph Violago (Nueva Ecija) and Nelson Collantes of Batangas.

Quezon City representative-elect Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said the new LP members would now add to the 69 LP congressmen at the House supporting the incoming administration of Aquino.

The defectors will be part of the majority coalition in the House which Belmonte is forming. Belmonte is LP’s candidate for speaker.

Belmonte said 20 more congressmen are set to join the LP comprising the second batch.

Heading the list of this batch is boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, representative-elect of Sarangani province.

Belmonte said Pacquiao was supposed to attend last night’s oath taking but was tied up with another engagement.

Another notable LP recruit would be Sergio Apostol of Leyte.

Apostol was President Arroyo’s legal adviser before seeking the congressional seat vacated by his wife. He was with the opposition bloc in the House when Belmonte was minority leader in the 11th Congress.