NPC’s Avance-Fuentes declares support for Mar-Leni; mayors take oath as LP members

KORONADAL CITY— Cracks continue to show within the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) after its local leaders here declared full support for Liberal Party bets Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo even before the NPC could make a party pitch.

NPC, one of the largest political groups in the country, is said to be rooting for the tandem of independent Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero.

But South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes is taking a different route. She is urging NPC mayors to support the Roxas-Robredo tandem.

“I just want to ask my partymates, I know that you have the capability to show once again that South Cotabato can deliver a solid vote for Mar Roxas-Leni Robredo team,” Fuentes expressed during a recent gathering here.

“Can you do it?” Fuentes asked. The local officials affirmed their support.

Fuentes, who has been a loyal NPC member for almost three decades, said the decision was difficult for her, noting that the NPC national leadership is torn between the Poe-Escudero tandem and Vice President Jejomar Binay.

“When I invited Mar Roxas and Representative Leni Robredo here, I also agreed that more than majority of mayors take oath as members of LP,” said the governor in her speech.

Nacionalistas, too South Cotabato, an NPC bailiwick has registered voters of more than 669,000 based on 2013 elections figures.

To seal their pledge of support, more than 40 mayors and their local officials formerly allied with NPC took their oaths as members of LP.

In supporting the Roxas-Robredo tandem, Avance-Fuentes said they want to continue the clean and good governance of the present administration which she said poured support to the province despite the fact that most of the local officials here are not members of the LP.

Roxas for his part said the Aquino administration has never asked the political affiliation of the local officials in releasing budget for road construction, infrastructure and other pro-poor programs and projects.

It was Robredo who administered the oath to the new LP members.

There were also members of the Nacionalista Party who took their oaths as members of the ruling party.

Strange alliance Unlike the LP alliance with local officials in Laguna, Robredo has the full backing of local officials in South Cotabato.

Avance-Fuetes said most of the local officials here appreciate and respect Robredo for her good reputation and clean image.

In Laguna, while gubernatorial candidate Ramil Hernandez committed to support Roxas, he did not pledge support for Robredo because the Nationalist Party of which he is a member has three members running for Vice President—Senators Alan Cayetano, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, and Antonio Trillanes IV.

Realities on the ground Some local officials interviewed by Manila Bulletin said while South Cotabato may go for Roxas, the situation would be different for Robredo.

“Majority of people here are Ilonggo-speaking and naturally they would go for Roxas. But there is another big group here which are the Ilocanos and this is where the problem may arise because Ilocanos are known here as very parochial,” the local official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Ilocanos are expected to root for Marcos.