MISAMIS Oriental Governor Yevgeny Emano said on Monday, December 19, he is willing and open for reconciliation with the Pimentels to pave the way for a possible coalition of the Padayon Pilipino and the administration party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
Emano said part of the agenda for the party's regional convention Tuesday, December 20, at a gym in Tagoloan town, is to discuss with the expected 1,000 members the plan to ally itself with the party of President Rodrigo Duterte.
While acknowledging that the patriarchs of both families may have had political differences in the past, the governor said he has learned to look beyond past differences.
“Medyo naa problema sa (There is slight problem in) politics not even personal. We have to learn to accept also and heal sometimes. If ever acceptable sa PDP-Laban ang coalition (coalition is acceptable to PDP-Laban), by all means I am open to reconciliation,” Emano said.
Emano maintained both parties share the same principles.
“Assuming nga dawaton mi (they will accept us), we have to accept that the Pimentel are with the PDP-Laban. If it is a coalition we have to honor it dili pwede magpili og tawo ngano mosulod sa partido (there should be no choosing of people to add in the party). We have to honor all those who are in the coalition regardless of 'who' ang members (the members are),” Emano added.
Emano said a body might be created to go to the Malacañang to discuss the proposed party coalition.
“It's one of the reasons why we are doing the convention. We will be happy if ma-ally mi sa PDP-Laban because ang Padayon Party nagsumikad sa principles and by-laws sa PDP-Laban (if we will be an ally of the PDP-Laban since the Padayon Party originated from the principles and by-laws of the PDP-Laban),” Emano said.
During the convention, the party is also set to decide whether to accept or deny members who have left the party and joined other political groups.
Emano, who is the present vice chairman, said he will make a motion to boot out and vote against accepting party members who made alliances with other political parties.
“Si Mayor Dongkoy (Former Cagayan de Oro City mayor Vicente 'Dongkoy' Emano), sa initial nga istorya namo, mo-welcome pa siya sa mga mibiya nga membro, ako dili na (In our initial discussion, Mayor Dongkoy welcomes the members who left the party, but I will not). I even appreciate makig-istorya sa kontra kay sa kauban nga nahimong kontra (talking with the opposition rather than talking to former members who became our foes),” Emano said.
“They betrayed the party. They used us and I hate when people do that. I will vote against it pero lahi ra ba ning power ni Mayor Dongkoy kay mosunod ra ba ang uban (but Mayor Dongkoy has this power to make people follow him),” Emano said.
Cagayan de Oro City Councilor Edna Dahino, who was seen in some activities of the present administration of the city, said on Monday she may not be attending the convention.
But the present chairman of the City Council finance committee declined to cite her reasons.
Other Padayon party members Councilors Suzette Magtajas-Daba and majority floor leader Ian Mark Nacaya have yet not confirmed their intent to attend the gathering Tuesday.
Emano said the first regional party convention is a picture of how the party has expanded over the years from its roots in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental.
“Nag-start sa 2013 ang expansion (The expansion started 2013) where we became a regional party and padayon ang expansion sa (and the expansion continues in) other provinces even Cebu City through membership seminars,” Emano said.
Former City Mayor Vicente Emano, the father of the party, will be on hand to preside over the convention where the election of new set of officers of the party will also take place.
“Chairman emeritus si Mayor Dongkoy. Samtang naa pa siya magpabilin ang punoan og ulo sa partido. Ako ang vice chairman pero depende kung ako pa ba gihapon kay mag-election man (Mayor Dongkoy is the chairman emeritus. As long as he is there, the leader of the party will remain. I am currently the vice chairman but whether I will remain on the position or not depends on the coming election),” Emano said.