THE Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) in the seventh district has re-organized its leadership after Badian Mayor Carmencita Lumain moved to One Cebu party, two months before the May 2019 elections.
One Cebu is headed by Third District Rep. Gwen Garcia, who is running for governor, while Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale is NPC’s gubernatorial candidate.
Magpale, who is also a member of Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya, was disappointed with Lumain’s move.
She said she and the mayor were distributing incentives to barangay workers in Badian the day before the latter announced her defection to the One Cebu-Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
“Well ako (I), I’m pragmatic. I’ve been in politics for 32 years. Disappointed, but then I can’t begrudge her because it’s her choice,” Magpale said.
She said she texted the mayor, only for the mayor to remind her that she (Magpale) supported a councilor who ran against Lumain in the last election and that the candidate even received 100 chairs from the governor’s office.
But Magpale said Lumain took advantage of the fact that she is running unopposed and it is already too late to put up a slate against her.
Superbalita Cebu tried calling Lumain on her mobile phone, but the mayor did not answer the calls.
Magpale said they already expected some of their partymates to defect to Garcia’s One Cebu, which is backed by the PDP-Laban of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Actually there were rumors. But then rumors are rumors, and then karon nangguwa na (the defectors are coming out). So, that’s it. Naay nag-ingon nga gi-threaten nga filan og kaso (Someone said someone threatened to file a case against them if they didn’t transfer),” Magpale said.
The vice governor, however, did not give out any names.
Magpale said that even if Lumain is now with One Cebu, they remain friends.
Gov. Hilario Davide III, a member of the Liberal Party and Magpale’s running mate, was also disappointed with Lumain’s defection, but he said the move would not affect them since they had other supporters in Badian. (From SCG of SuperBalita Cebu, MVG)