Radaza’s group meets protest
The officers of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) in Lapu-Lapu City are opposing the entry of Mayor Paz Radaza and 11 of her councilors to the party.
In a manifesto, the officers questioned why the LapuLapu officials were admitted into the party without their recommendation.
“We are appalled to learn that Mayor Radaz and company have been admitted as members of PDP-Laban without the recommendation or approval of the local or regional office of PDP-Laban and the required Basic Membership Seminar which, we are made to believe, is a basic procedure and requirement before one can be a member of our party,” the manifesto reads.
The officers came up with the manifesto after learning that Radaza and company who used to be with the Liberal Party took their oath as members of PDP-Laban before House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
“In this regard, we are hereby formally tendering our protest to the membership of Mayor Radaza and company who have not even provided an iota of contribution to the growth of our party locally,” the manifesto reads further.
The manifesto is signed by Engr. Rolando Patalinjug, chairman; Dr. Celedonio Sitoy, vice chairman; and officers Maria Fe Imbong, Celectino Aying, Ernesto Tumulak, Jose Vicente dela Serna, Cesario Silawan, Carlito Sabalones Jr., Rufo Bering and Atty. Dave Godornes
Patalinjug ran for mayor, Sitoy ran for congress, while the rest of the officers ran for councilor in the May 2016 elections under PDP-Laban.
Their team lost to Radaza’s group.
They addressed the manifesto to Senate President and PDP-Laban President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, PDP-Laban regional chairman and now Undersecretary Noel Felongco of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Alvarez.
In a move to discredit Radaza, the local party officers raised the issue of the mayor having faced criminal cases and suspension from office. They also described Radaza as a political butterfly for jumping from one party to another. She was with Lakas-Kampi in the 2010 and 2013 elections and moved to LP in 2016.
They also pointed out that Radaza even refused to issue a permit for the rally of then presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte last March 21, 2016 in Lapu-Lapu City, which forced the group to hold the rally at a private lot instead and to rent a generator set.
Radaza’s group then supported the presidential bid of Mar Roxas who eventually lost to Duterte in Lapu-Lapu City.
Radaza, as well as her aide, could not be reached for comment yesterday but she has said earlier that the decision to join PDPLaban is for the good of the residents in Lapu-Lapu.
She also said the city’s programs, particularly the campaign against illegal drugs, are similar to Duterte’s advocacies.
She said of the PDPLaban’s officers in LapuLapu:
“Wa man ta nanamak or unsa. Naka-suporta man sad sila. We support the administration and the president’s campaign against illegal drugs.”
Radaza’s daughter, lone district Rep. Ailene Radaza, was the first to join the ruling party in June last year with Cebu congressmen Wilfredo Caminero (Second District), Gwendolyn Garcia (Third District), Jonas Cortes (Sixth district), and Peter John Calderon (Seventh District).
Yesterday, a reported 1,800 participants attended the party’s Basic Membership Seminar at the Opao Gym in Mandaue City organized by PDP-Laban’s provincial chairman, Nixon “Jojo” Dizon.
The mass oath taking is scheduled on Friday at the South Road Properties in Cebu City.