LP not going out 

Without a fight 

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, April 27 (PIA)—As if to show how flimsy the country’s political party system is, erstwhile majority Liberal Party (LP) may now be a decimated minority, but it is not going down without a fight. 

Top-billed now by Governor Edgar Chatto being the highest elected official still holding a post, LP firms up with an alliance with National Unity Party (NUP), in a bid to salvage the scuttled party that political rats have abandoned without any second thoughts. 

For the LP maybe, they knew it was coming. It also happened to the former top party that rats barnacled into when then President Gloria Arroyo flew the Lakas Christian-Muslim Democrats banner. 

Rising up against the winning presidential party and its myriad of coalitions that make up the administration, LP remnants, now nominated as the opposition in Bohol remain true to their party philosophy, even when pitted against major party coalitions: Partido Demokratiko nga Pilipinas-Lakas ng Bayan (PDPLBN), Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, (PFP) Nacionalista Party (NP) and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP). 

In Bohol’s top 15 positions, namely the governor, vice governor, three board members for District 1, three for District 2 and 4 for District 3 plus one for each District, LP puts four candidates: Gov Edgar Chatto for the congressional seat for district 1, and District 1 Board member candidates Aldner Damalerio, Ricky Masamayor and Isabelito Tongco. 

On the other hand, its ally, the NUP has Congressman Rene Relampagos who is gunning for the vice gubernatorial seat, Board Member Agapito Avenido whose interest is the Congressional seat for District 2 and Carlos Fernando, who aims for the District 3 congressional seat. 

For consideration however is Congressman Arthur Yap, who is campaigning for the LP and NUP but whose other foot is with the PDPLBN. 

Daunting as it may, LP, which has an edge in social weather surveys, still thrashes out and lashes back even when pitted against a campaign strategist that has catapulted a probinsyano into the country’s top post. 

Then Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco (NPC) has teamed up Board Member and lawyer Tomas Abapo (NPC) while putting up a line-up of former Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Lim (NPC) for Congressional District 1, Congressman Erico Aristotle Aumentado (NPC) for District 2 and a troika of Vice Governor Dionisio Balite (PMP), Conchita Toribio (PFP) and Alexei Tutor (NP) for the Congressional district 3. 

Over all, LP has put up eight candidates for mayors (Antequera’s Leo Jadulco, Balilihan’s Pureza Chatto, Calape’s Junie Yu, Catigbi-an’s Elizabeth Mandin, Corella’s Vito Rapal, President Carlos P Garcia’s Fernando Estavilla, Sikatuna’s Justiniana Ellorimo, and Tubigon’s William Jao). 

On the other hand, its NUP ally also puts up eight candidates for mayoralty posts (Alburquerque’s Elpren Tungol, Cortes’ Ivenn Lynn Lim, Dauis’ Mirriam Sumaylo, Loon’s Elvi Peter Relampagos, Maribojoc’s Mer Arocha, Panglao’s Vincenzo Arcamo, Tagbilaran City’s John Geesnell Yap and Trinidad’s Judith Cajes). 

Sumaylo however, a candidate sheltered under the opposition, is openly a President Duterte supporter, and could not be an official count on neither camps. 

Facing them are 29 mayoralty candidates from NPC (Alburquerque’s Don Ritchie Buates, Alicia’s Jonathan Puracan, Anda’s Angelina Simacio, Antequera’s Lilioso Nunag, Batuan’s Delfin Hingpit, Bien Unido’s Renee Borenaga, Buenavista’s Dave Duallo, Catigbian’s Roberto Salinas, Clarin’s Eugene Ibarra, Corella’s Hilario Tocmo, Cortes’ Tabanera Ola). 

Also under NPC are Dagohoy’s Sofronio Apat, Danao’s Natividad Gonzaga, Dauis Elileen Cimafranca, Duero's Emma Fe Peligro, Inabanga’s Concepcion Muneses, Jagna’s Joseph Rañola, Getafe’s Cassey Shaun, Loay’s Rosemarie Imboy, Maribojoc’s Romulo Manuta, Sagbayan’s Restituto Suarez, San Isidro’s Diosdado Gementiza, San Miguel’s Virgilio Mendez, Sikatuna’s Capistrano Balili, Tagbilaran City’s Sharleen Lim, Talibon’s Cleto Garcia, Trinidad’s Juanilo Orioque, Tubigon’s Marlon Amila, Ubay’s Constantino Reyes, and Valencia’s Jesus Balistoy. 

For command votes, NPC's Anda Mayor Simacio, Bien Unido's Borenaga, Buenavista's Duallo, Dagohoy's Apat, Danao's Gonzaga, Getafe's Camacho, and Ubay's Constantino Reyes are sitting mayors for the administration's party. 

Also putting up strong contention against LP and NUP is NPC’s main ally PDPLBN with their mayoralty slate: Anda’s Metodio Amper, Baclayon’s Benecio Uy, Batuan’s Antonino Jumawid, Bilar’s Manuel Jayectin, Candijay’s Ann Dy, Carmen’s Pedro Budiongan and Duero’s Conrada Amparo. 

Baclayon's Uy, Batuan's Jumawid and Duero's Amparo are also incumbents. 

Again under PDPLBN are Garcia Hernandez’s Lito Dajalos, Jagna’s Bonifacio Virtudes, Loay’s Hilario Ayuban, Loboc’s Enrique Baguio, Mabini’s Juanito Jayoma, Panglao’s Ruben Arbilon, Sevilla’s Ernesita Digal, Sierra Bullones’ Rainfredo Buslon. 

Another NPC ally is the PFP, which has posted slates for mayors in Alburquerque with Cirilo Jalad, Alicia with Frasan Corre, Bien Unido through Paquito Avenido, Carmen via Francisco Ricardo Toribio, Dimiao’s Danilo Guevencan, Garcia Hernandez’s Tita Gallentes, Guindulman’s Fe Piezas, Jagna in Raymund Tan, Loon’s Tony Garay, and Sevilla in Juliet Dano. 

Toribio, Guevencan, Gallente, and Dano are also incumbents. 

Another NPC ally, NP also put up candidates in the mayors slate like Alicia’s Victoriano Torres, Baclayon’s Alvin Uy, Balilihan’s Joemar Unabia, Bilar’s Danilo Cal, Candijay’s Christopher Tutor, Loboc’s Leon Calipusan, Mabini’s Jesha Cuyacot, Panglao’s Nila Montero and Sierra Bullones Simplicio Maestrado. 

For the NP, Tutor, Montero and Maestrado are sitting mayors up for reelection. 

Lila's Eugene Cahiles runs under Lakas CMD, Pilar's Wilson Pajo under Lakas ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), san Miguel's Bernardo Avenida ran for Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (DPP). 

This too as a total of 1,222 candidates are up for Boholano choosing, these are for the terms beginning 2019, Commission on Elections data showed. 

This includes the 15 top positions, 118 mayoralty candidates and 108 for vice mayors while some 941 are gunning for town council seats. 

Despite the numbers however, LP stalwarts are still hopeful considering that the country’s political system has been proven to be an option for convenience and accommodation and not as to the political conviction. 

For the LP, it is still a good fight. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

LP Bohol stalwarts Gov Edgar Chatto (far end), Isabelito Tongco, Alfonso Damalerio and Aldner Damalerio put up the thumbs up sign in a photo through PA Damalerio’s facebook. Also with them is gubernatorial candidate Art Yap (between Chatto and Tongco) who is running under PDPLABAN.