Isko takes oath as NP member

MANILA, Philippines - Manila Vice Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno drew the line on his allegiance and took his oath as the latest member of Nacionalista Party (NP) headed by Sen. Manny Villar.

The reelectionist Moreno, president of the local party Asenso Manileño, made the move following the announcement of his tandem with Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim at the Bonifacio Shrine last Monday. LP stalwarts led by its standard bearer Sen. Noynoy Aquino and his vice presidential candidate Mar Roxas presented Lim and Moreno as their candidates in Manila for the mayoralty and vice mayoralty bets for next year’s elections.

Also, Moreno is the “guest” vice mayoral candidate of former Presidential Peace Adviser Avelino “Sonny” Razon who is an official candidate for mayor in the city of Manila under the Nationalist People’s Coalition, However, Moreno said that contrary to claims by some quarters, he has not had any deal with Razon or any other mayoral candidate for that matter, saying that he and Lim have already agreed to run together way back, although they announced it publicly and formally only recently.

The vice mayor attended the local proclamation and distanced himself from the declaration of support to Liberal Party’s national bets earlier.

Those who attended Moreno’s oathtaking at the Laurel House in Mandaluyong City yesterday quoted the vice mayor as saying that he believes in Villar’s integrity, virtually abandoning any alliance with the Liberal Party.

The vice mayor, like Villar, was born to poverty in the slums of Tondo, scavenging for food and livelihood until he became an actor and later on a political figure. Moreno said Asenso Manileño will forge a formal alliance with NP, committing grassroots support in Manila for Villar.

Advocacy vs poverty

Villar welcomed Moreno in open arms at the NP. “We welcome Vice Mayor Isko Moreno as a strong pillar and partner in our advocacy against poverty as our common roots,” the NP standard bearer said.

NP has reached its 2,000-membership mark for incumbent officials as more joined alongside the vice mayor, including Parañaque first district Rep. Eduardo Zialcita, erstwhile Lakas-CMD deputy spokesman; Apayao Gov. Elias Bulut Sr.; Aurora Vice Gov. Gerardo Noveras; vice mayors from Luzon; and councilors from the National Capital Region. The latest NP oathtakers at the Laurel House in Mandaluyong numbered over 200.

Bulut, also from Lakas-Kampi-CMD, was a former Calanasan mayor before he served the Apayao people for nine years in the House of Representatives. Known as the “Father of Apayao,” then Rep. Bulut was the one who fought for the separation of Kalinga-Apayao into two distinct provinces. In 1995, RA 7878 formalized Apayao and Kalinga as two separate Philippine provinces. Apayao now has a voting population of more than 60,000.

The oathtakers followed in the footsteps of Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte Jr., national chairman of the League of Provinces of the Philippines; Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Ace Barbers; Davao del Sur Gov. Douglas “Dodo” Cagas; Biliran Gov. Rogelio “Roger” Espina; Cagayan Vice Governors Leonides “Odi” Fausto; Laguna Vice Gov. Ramil Hernandez; Ilocos Norte Vice-Gov. Windell Chua; and Quirino Vice Gov. Pasencia Bacani, who recently defected to NP.

Villar is set to administer the oath to about 150 incumbent and aspiring leaders from Lanao. – With Sandy Araneta