Second District Congressman George P.
Arnaiz expressed confidence that none
among the current mayors under the Nationalist
People’s Coalition will ever move to the
Liberal Party with 1st District Congresswoman Jocelyn Limkaichong as its standard
bearer for the governorship.
The NPC Provincial
Chairman doubts
Limkaichong’s claim that
more mayors are joining her
party aside from the 11 already
in her fold. Arnaiz
said that NPC mayors, particularly
in the 2nd District,
will never abandon the party
and are committed to support
the presumptive gubernatorial
bet of United Nationalist
Alliance or UNA
former Finance Secretary
Margarito “Gary” Teves.
NPC mayors include
Amlan Mayor Bentham Dela Cruz, Sibulan Mayor
Marcela Bartoces-Grampon,
San Jose Mayor Melo
Remollo, Tanjay City Mayor
Lawrence Teves, Mabinay
Mayor Ernie Uy, Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel
Chiquiting Sagarbarria and
Sta. Catalina Mayor Leon
Lopez.
Meanwhile, the erstwhile
dominant Lakas-Kampi-CMD
party in the 3rd District is also
certain that the exodus of their
mayors to LP has come to an
end. At present, Basay Mayor
Dandilgust Abrio, Bayawan
City Mayor Rene Gaudiel,
Dauin Mayor Neil Credo and
Manjuyod Amor Baldado have retained their party membership.
Arnaiz is committed already
to support Gary Teves’
candidacy for governor against
Limkaichong. He also sought
to put an end to any speculations
that he would aim to return
to the Capitol by asserting
that he really wanted to
complete his term as a congressman.
When Limkaichong declared
her intention to run for
governor, she counted 11 mayors
as among her allies,
namely: Kit Adanza of
Zamboanguita, Lenin Alviola
of Bacong, Enrique Gonzalez
of Valencia, Albert Ator of
Siaton, Lawrence
Limkaichong of La Libertad,
Karen Villanueva of Bais City,
Bindoy Mayor Valente Yap,
Tayasan Mayor Santiago
Sameon, Guihulngan City
Mayor Ernesto Reyes, and
Jimalalud Mayor Reynaldo
Tuanda.(By Dems Demecillo)
