No local LP-NP tie-up?

CEBU, Philippines - No alliance will reportedly be forged between the local chapters of the Liberal Party and the Nacionalista Party in Cebu, said San Fernando Mayor Antonio Canoy. In an interview with The Freeman yesterday, Canoy said LP Cebu Provincial Chairman Hilario “Junjun” Davide III had assured them that the local chapter will remain intact for next year’s polls despite an impending alliance between LP and NP in the national level.

The official decision will be announced next week, Canoy said.

“Ang alyansa sa LP didto ra na mahitabo sa kaulohan uban sa Nacionalista Party nga maoy partido ni Gullas. Ang bisan unsa nga kasabutan sa panag-alyansa dinhi sa Sugbo mahibaw-an ra unya na namo,” Canoy said.

“Miingon man si Junjun nga makig-meeting sila namo sunod semana. Naa man daw siya’y nindot nga ibalita namo,” he added.

Davide reportedly said that the local LP group will not be affected by movements at the national level and that Davide himself will remain as district chairman even if 1st District Rep. Eduardo Gullas’ Alayon Party will ally with LP.

Canoy and Davide along with Talisay City Councilors Romeo Villarante, Danilo Caballero and Valeriano Ylanan were with President Benigno Aquino III in Danao City during the latter’s visit to Cebu yesterday.

The first district covers the cities of Talisay, Carcar and Naga and the towns of San Fernando, Minglanilla and Sibonga.

LP is considering Canoy to run against Gerard Anthony “Samsam” Gullas as representative of the 1st District. Gullas will take over his grandfather as congressman in the 1st District.

Eduardo is set to run for mayor of Talisay City in next year’s elections. He is on his third and last term as congressman.

Last 2010, Eduardo forged an alliance with NP President and Senator Manuel “Manny” Villar who ran for president but lost to Aquino.

Eduardo has also received invitations for his party, Alayon, to coalesce with LP and NP, but said consultations with Villar and other local political leaders are still ongoing.

He said, though, that he had worked closely with Villar when he was still congressman. In fact, the journal at the House of Representatives shows that Gullas is affiliated not with Alayon but with NP.

Still, Eduardo said he is not closing his doors to LP because of his closeness to former senator and now Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas III. The relationship can be traced back as far as 1963 to Roxas’ father, former senator Gerry Roxas.

Eduardo said he has also received invitations from former President Joseph Estrada and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to join NA.

Political turncoatism has become a phenomenon since the Philippines junked its bipartisan system and adopted the multi-party system after the People Power Revolution in 1986.   (FREEMAN)