THE mass oathtaking of new PDP-Laban members in Plaza Independencia, as expected, focused on the 2019 elections. House Speaker Bebot Alvarez needed early broad support for the PDP Laban senatorial slate.
From this corner, I heard the notable names of Rep. Karlo Nograles, Asec. Mocha Uson, Rep. Albee Benitez, and Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque as PDP-Laban senatorial bets.
While this is great for the national candidates, there are kinks that need to be ironed out at the local level, especially Cebu Province.
Rep. Gwen Garcia has indeed positioned One Cebu in a dominant position. But she needs to win the support of the other congressmen and mayors who had pledged support for Gov. Junjun Davide.
One senatorial candidate mistakenly quipped about Davide during his speech. My spy cringed as she looked at Gwen.
There is ample time for Gwen to consolidate her position. After all, what’s important is the power to give the PDP-Laban party nomination certificates to her leaders come May 2019.
Mayor Paz Radaza and Rep. Aileen Radaza likewise made a big splash with a massive turnout from Lapu-Lapu City. I don’t know what happened to the petition of the original PDP-Laban members identified with Kusgano and the Sitoys of Cordova during the oath-taking. Nevertheless, I understand Kusgano members have undergone the needed basic membership seminar, a requirement to become full members.
Looking at Cebu City politics, the scene was more of an endorsement of Vice Mayor Ed Labella as the party’s candidate for mayor with the absence of former mayor Mike Rama. Though no case has been filed against the former mayor, having been named a drug lord protector by President Rodrigo Duterte weighed like an anvil tied around his neck.
The mass mobilization was indeed impressive, something that Speaker Alvarez attributed to Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Mike Dino. Cebu LMP president Aljun Diamante said Dino had asked him to help in the mobilization and the former delivered.
The exodus of former Liberals, nevertheless, has diluted the administration party rendering the “Yellow” tag as practically useless. I fear the originals will be pushed out.
Adding to this very trapo development is the hakot character of the mobilization in contrast to the voluntary participation of ordinary folks in mobilizations during the 2016 presidential campaign. Of course, the administration needs more allies at the Senate. But in doing this, the progressive character of the Duterte campaign in 2016 will be lost to traditional politics.
I think this will attract more pro-Duterte folk to push for the revolutionary government option with rallies in different parts of the country set this Nov. 30. Meanwhile, others are persevering with the campaign for federalism.