PDP-Laban exec defends Labella

An official of the membership committee of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) defended Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella after his membership in the national party was questioned.

PDP-Laban membership committee vice chairman and Department of Tourism Assistant Secretary Daniel Ebarle Mercado said that Labella is a legitimate member of their group.

In an interview with SunStar Cebu, Mercado said the Region 7 council of PDP-Laban endorsed Labella as an associate member of the party last Dec. 18.

“We would like to refute and explain that the membership of Vice Mayor Labella was not a fake membership; it was a legitimate membership,” he said.

In his news conference last Monday, Mayor Tomas Osmeña criticized the members of the opposition party in the city, including Labella, over their conflict in the local leadership of PDP-Laban.

The mayor described Labella as a “bogus president” of the group.

This, after former Kamputhaw barangay captain Lorenzo Basamot, in a Facebook post, claimed that he was appointed as vice president of PDP-Laban Cebu City chapter.

His appointment was signed by Lorna Roa Bacalla, who is reportedly the party’s chapter president in Cebu City.

Labella took his oath as member of the administration party last January.

He was appointed PDP-Laban president in Cebu City by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez./