Ecija pols eyeing new party to rival Josons’

CABANATUAN CITY — An odd mix of Nueva Ecija politicians belonging to three different political parties are eyeing the creation of a new local political party to rival the formidable Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija (Balane) party of the Josons.

Sources from the ruling Lakas-NUCD said three politicians, including a neophyte lawmaker, are being eyed for recruitment in the new party which will have a province-wide mass base, similar to Balane’s.

The sources, which requested anonymity, identified the three politicians being eyed to steer the new party as outgoing fourth district Rep. Julita Lorenzo-Villareal, and congressmen-elect Eleuterio Violago and Aurelio Umali, of the second and third congressional districts, respectively.

Villareal chairs the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) in her district. She passed up a rare chance to become a three-term congresswoman and instead backed the bid of her husband Raul who won handily in the polls.

She said her husband would automatically assume the chairmanship of the district once he had taken his oath.

Violago, a former two-term congressman, got back at his old nemesis, outgoing Rep. Simeon Garcia Jr., whom he beat in the May 14 polls. Garcia has filed an electoral protest with the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET).

Violago is expected to bag the provincial chairmanship of the ruling party, being the highest elected party official in the province. The provincial chairmanship is still being handled by outgoing third district Rep. Pacifico Fajardo.

Umali pulled off a stunning victory when he edged out Gov. Tomas Joson III’s eldest son Edward Thomas and Fajardo’s wife, outgoing three-term Palayan City Mayor Leonora Fajardo.

Villareal, however, said there are still no concrete talks about the planned party.

"But there are people acting as emissaries who said Umali, in particular, will join them in their cause," she said.