Badian mayor shifts to One Cebu

CEBU, Philippines — Badian, Cebu Mayor Carmencita Lumain, an ally of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), has shifted allegiance to Garcia clan’s One Cebu.

Former Dumanjug mayor Nelson Garcia, younger brother of former Cebu governor and now Third District Rep. Gwendolyn ”Gwen” Garcia,  posted on his Facebook account on Tuesday that “Mayor Lumain now supports all candidates of One Cebu.”

The post had an accompanying photo of Nelson, Lumain, Gwen, Marie Daphne Salimbangon, daughter of Fourth District Rep. Benhur Salimbangon, and Provincial Board Member Christopher Baricuatro doing a One Cebu sign.

Nelson is running for a congressional seat in the seventh district under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), while his sister, Gwen, is gunning anew for gubernatorial post against incumbent Vice Governor Agnes Magpale of NPC.

One Cebu forged an alliance with PDP-Laban in 2017.

Nelson said it will be an advantage for One Cebu—PDP-Laban party, considering that Badian is a vote-rich municipality.

He said the party now has the backing of Lumain, the town's vice mayor and majority of the town councilors.

He said there is no need to change Lumain’s political party because she and other town officials were already “adopted”  and welcomed by the ruling party.

Lumain filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) under NPC. She is running unopposed for mayor.

Nelson said it depends to NPC to remove her and others from the party.

Lawyer Jerome Brillantes, acting Cebu provincial election supervisor, said details listed in the COC will remain or will still reflect in the official ballot.

He said a candidate can freely choose or switch to another party as there are no rules or prohibitions that bar one to do so.

“They can freely do that. Just let the people judge,” he said. — KBQ (FREEMAN)