LP to field candidates in Tacloban, some Leyte towns
TACLOBAN CITY — The opposition Liberal Party is going to field candidates for various posts in this city and in the six municipalities within Leyte’s first congressional district.
This was confirmed by outgoing City Councilor Wilson Uy, who himself has admitted on his plan to run for councilor in the nearby town of Palo.
It was learned from Uy that in the city, they have already confirmed candidates who will be running for seats at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
The candidates of the Liberal Party for council seats will be bannered by incumbent Councilor Robert “Bobby” Andrade who is now on his second term.
Andrade will be joined by lawyer Jerry Uy, Noel Lagonoy, Sarah Mate-Lopez and Joemar Bagulaya, son of Leyte Vice Governor Mimiette Bagulaya, who is the provincial chair of the Liberal Party. Radio commentator Mark Morallos has also been tapped by the party as its candidate for Sangguniang Panlungsod, Uy added.
The party, however, is still in the process of selecting their candidates to fill up the remaining four vacant slates, Uy said. The party, he stressed, has a deep bench of would-be candidates as 14 names coming from various fields would be chosen to complete their candidates for city council seats.
Asked who will be the standard-bearer of the Liberal Party in Tacloban, Uy said there are names that are being seriously considered by the party.
Among them were Vice Mayor Arvin Antoni, Councilor Ranulfo “Bob” Abellanosa and lawyer Pedro Panis, a former city councilor.
Uy said that either of their prospective candidates for mayor could give incumbent Mayor Alfred Romualdez a strong fight.
The incumbent mayor has already declared his intention to seek for a possible second term come the May 2010 elections.
Aside from fielding a complete slate for elective positions in Tacloban, the party is also determined to put up candidates in other towns within the first congressional district.
Uy, however, declined to identify who will be the party’s candidates for mayors for the towns of Palo, Babatngon, Santa Fe, Alangalang, Tolosa and San Miguel.
“They are just waiting for the issuance of the certificates of nomination from the Liberal Party (national officials),” Uy said.
“The process that we are taking is that we select, negotiate and confirm with the prospective candidates on their willingness to run and join the Liberal Party. Thereafter, for mayors, as an example, they would be subsequently be in charge of creating their own line ups,” Uy added.
According to him, they have decided to put up a complete slate in next year’s elections to dramatize a “crusade to try and help Tacloban and Leyte from its present predicament.”
“It will be a fight for transparency, good governance and team work as espoused by the Noynoy Aquino-Mar Roxas tandem,” Uy added, referring to the presidential and vice presidential candidates of the Liberal Party for the 2010 elections.
The candidates of the Liberal Party are to file their certificates of candidacy before the December 1 deadline set by the Commission on Elections, Uy said.
By JOEY A. GABIETA
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