Guv believes Liberal Party to choose ‘best’ bet

ILOILO Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. believes the administration Liberal Party (LP) will endorse a gubernatorial candidate in the province for the 2013 elections based on the administration’s “matuwid na daan” battle cry.

Defensor’s statement is in response to the personal endorsement of Senator Franklin Drilon to former governor Niel Tupas Sr. as his bet for the governorship of the province in next year’s polls.

Defensor said, however, that he was not surprised with Drilon’s endorsement of Tupas since “they belong to same party and Tupas is not only an ally but a long time friend of Drilon.”

He said he respects Drilon’s decision declaring his early endorsement of Tupas.

“On the other hand, I believe Senator Drilon has not lost his ideals in the field of public service and governance. He is for a transparent government, a government that is accountable to the people. He is for a government that is graft free... and he knows the kind of leadership that we now have here in the province of Iloilo,” Defensor said.

“I am confident that at the end of the day, the sense of political idealism of the LP especially of the President and Senator Drilon will prevail in so far as the leadership of the province of Iloilo is concerned in relation to the 2013 elections,” he added.

The governor clarified that he is not yet a member of the LP but he was invited to be part of the political organization in April of this year.

“One thing I am sure is that in so far as the nomination of the LP is concerned on the governorship, this matter will be decided by the LP on the basis of what is best for the people and province of Iloilo... It will also be decided based on whether the LP would want to pursue the reforms and changes in the province of Iloilo under my leadership and pursuant to President Aquino’s ‘matuwid na daan’ battle cry,” Defensor told members of the media when asked about LP’s possible bet for governor in the 2013 polls.

Defensor admitted that he is in constant talks with the LP’s top hierarchy, whose identities are withheld, in Manila but he refused to reveal the details of their conversations. (PR)