Duranos’ Bakud joins Mayor Sara Duterte’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago

Another local party from Cebu forged an alliance with the Davao City-based Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP).

Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale confirmed yesterday that her party, Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya (Bakud), has forged an alliance with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s HNP last week.

In an interview, Magpale said Rep. Ramon “Red” Durano VI (5th) informed her about the alliance.

She said the Duranos met with Duterte-Carpio, founder of HNP, last week to formalize their alliance, but clarified that it is only between regional parties.

“We are still under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC),” Magpale said.

The fifth district party is the second local political group to forge an alliance with the HNP.

Last week, the Alayon Party, which dominates the first district, also went to Davao to meet the pres- idential daughter for an alliance.

But Rep. Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas (1st), Alayon’s standard bearer, said their alliance with HNP is only regional and they are still allied with the administration party PDP-Laban.

While the partnership with HNP might only be regional in scope, both Alayon and Bakud could benefit from the arrangement, especially that HNP is led by the daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte.

An ally of the Alayon Party who requested anonymity said an alliance with HNP would give local parties an “economic edge.”

“Mas daghan og projects kay close man sa Presidente ang Hugpong,” the source said. Meanwhile, Magpale denied rumors that she will replace Davide as the administration’s gubernatorial candidate.

She said, though, that she and Davide will run under different parties, she with the NPC and Davide with the Liberal Party. As to a possible alliance with Davide, Magpale said she will leave it to Bakud to decide if they will continue their partnership with the incumbent governor.

Davide will face Rep. Gwen Garcia (3rd) in the gubernatorial race. He is scheduled to file his certificate of candidacy this morning.

Garcia has yet to announce who they will field for vice governor to run against Magpale.