UNA also claims growing membership

MANILA, Philippines - The membership of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) continues to increase, particularly on the local level, a party official said yesterday.

UNA spokesman Mon Ilagan, in an interview with The STAR, also disputed reports that there were UNA members who have defected to the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) amid reports that it is preparing to announce its support for the tandem of Sens. Grace Poe and Francis Escudero in the 2016 elections.

“They should identify who are these politicians...Without names, it will just look like,” Ilagan said.

UNA will field Vice President Jejomar Binay as its standard bearer in next year’s elections.

On Friday, NPC secretary general Batangas Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza said local politicians, mostly from the ruling Liberal Party (LP), have shifted allegiance to their party.

Ilagan said they have not monitored any UNA member who has joined the NPC.

He said Batanes Gov. Vicente Gato and Nicanor Abad, elder brother of Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, were among their new recruits.

The elder Abad is poised to run against the budget secretary’s wife, Rep. Henedina Abad, who will run under the LP banner.

Losing support

With more politicians joining the ranks of NPC and UNA, Ilagan said the LP’s standard bearer, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, is losing support.

Roxas, whose candidacy was endorsed by President Aquino, continues to trail behind Poe and Binay in recent surveys.

LP member and Caloocan 1st District Rep. Enrico Echiverri was reportedly among those who attended the oath taking of new NPC members.

Echiverri, who defected from Lakas to LP in 2010, did not confirm if he would join NPC. He had an argument with LP vice president for political affairs and Roxas supporter Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice.

Meanwhile, Ilagan hinted Valenzuela Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian could have parted ways with Binay.

Gatchalian, who had accompanied Binay in his visits to the provinces, issued a statement on Friday praising Poe’s 20-point agenda.