Ex-GMA ally leads mass defection to NPC
Nearly 200 congressmen, provincial and local government officials yesterday defected from various political parties to join the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), thus, providing a preview of political re-alignments triggered by recent declarations of Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero of their 2016 plans.
Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya, a member of the once formidable Lakas-CMD of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and an Aquino administration ally, led the list of new NPC members. Andaya was Arroyo’s budget secretary.
Joining Andaya were incumbent mayors from Laguna and Batangas, local leaders eyeing congressional and gubernatorial posts in 2016, and provincial and local government legislators.
Party leaders agreed that reports that the NPC will adopt Poe and Escudero as its bets for 2016 may have caused the sudden rise in membership requests and defections from other political parties.
“The executive committee has not yet decided, we have not yet thrown any commitment to any presidential or vice presidential hopeful. We are accepting new members who will be loyal to the party,” stated Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga, NPC spokesman for the House contingent.
On the other hand, Batangas Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza, the party’s bet for governor of the province, predicted that defections to the NPC will continue when the party has come up with a decision.
“We will form a coalition of political parties and decide which candidates we are going to support,” said Mendoza, NPC secretary general.
Party spokesman and Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian admitted that there may be “political butterflies” among future membership applicants who should be prepared for rejection as a result of the stringent screening being imposed by the party.
Gatchalian said that the NPC national headquarters heavily rely on the endorsement of provincial and regional leaders of party members
Caloocan City Rep. Enrico “Recom” Echiverri, a Liberal Party stalwart, was also present during the mass oath taking at the NPC headquarters in Quezon City but did not pledge allegiance to the party.
Requesting anonymity, a ranking party official aired serious misgivings over Echiverri’s real motive in paying the NPC a “visit.”
The incumbent Caloocan congressman’s background showed him hopping to various political parties since the start of his political career.
Despite his LP membership, Echiverri has been harboring a grudge with fellow Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice, LP vice chairman for political affairs, who has declared support for incumbent Mayor Oscar Malapitan.
A showdown for the mayoralty is expected between Malapitan and Echiverri in 2016.
“I am here [today] to support the tandem of Grace and Chiz. NPC is the first major political party to step up to the plate and make themselves available to the candidacy of Senator Grace. This is a strong message on where the heart of the party really is,” Andaya stated.
However, the NPC has yet to issue an official declaration that it will adopt Poe and Escudero as the party’s presidential and vice presidential bets in 2016.
Nevertheless, party officials led by Deputy Speaker Giorgidi Aggabao, NPC president, and former Isabela Gov. Faustino Dy Jr., party chairman, have repeatedly been giving hints that the party will support Poe and Escudero.
“A lot of people are supporting Senator Grace. The message is out there. No need to say it out loud,” Andaya said.
Mendoza admitted that the “mass defection” could be the result of the formalization of the Grace-Chiz tandem.
He noted that the party headquarters had been swamped with by calls from provincial and local political leaders who are seeking membership.
Reacting to the sharp rise in membership applications, Enverga said the party will only accept members who are willing to adopt and pursue the party principles in pursuing good governance and welfare for all Filipinos.
“We will also be looking at the (political) history of applicants in order that we can be assured of loyalty,” said Enverga as he agreed that political butterflies abound prior to an election.
Among those who took their oath of office yesterday were Batangas Mayors Joel Portugal of Taysan; Osita P. Vergara of Lian; Sofronio Manuel Ona of Calaca; Leovino Hidalgo of Balete; Anthony Francis Andal of Alitagtag; Napoleon Arceo of San Nicolas; and Abraham Gutierrez of Padre Garcia.