Mayoral bet shifts political party

AS THE campaign period for local candidates nears, a mayoral candidate in the City of Mati has shifted party affiliation to Nacionalista Party (NP).

Reports reaching Sun.Star Davao showed that Edgardo Lopez, who earlier declared himself as an independent candidate but is said to be being supported by the regional Lakas-Kampi-CMD, has officially shifted to Senator Manny Villar's party.

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Lopez worked in the Office of the President for Mindanao under Bebot Marfori before deciding to run as independent candidate. But observers said that outside Lopez's residence in Mati was a huge tarpaulin of Lakas-Kampi presidential bet Gibo Teodoro.

The decision came after Eddie Bong Pang, who is said to be Lopez's number one supporter and donor, joined NP.

The party shift now makes the province of Davao Oriental a "Nacionalista Party country."

Leading the NP flock is Governor Corazon Malanyaon, who is joined by eight out of the eleven incumbent mayors.

Only Mati City Mayor Michelle Rabat, Lupon Mayor Domingo Lim, and Banaybanay Mayor Pedro Mejos have stuck with administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD supporting Teodoro, along with Representative Thelma Almario and son Vice Governor Mayo Almario.

The three towns supporting Teodoro -- Mati City, Lupon and Banaybanay -- have the most number of registered voters in the province with 109,470 combined voters out of the 270,087 registered voters in the entire province as of 2009 records from the Commission on Elections. (BOT)