MAASIN CITY,
Southern Leyte, May 3 (PNA) -– A Liberal Party (LP) stalwart in this province
dispelled rumors that members of their influential political clan have shifted
allegiance to vice presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bong Bong"
Marcos Jr. instead of Rep. Leni Robredo of the administration party.
Southern
Leyte lone district Rep. Damian Mercado, who is seeking mandate for governor of
the province, the position he held in 2010-2013, vehemently denied the rumors.
“The
pictures circulating in the province and in the social media showing their
hands raised by Marcos are true but, it is Marcos who raised our hands, not
us,” Mercado said.
“We are 100
percent for Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo, the presidential and vice-presidential
candidates of the ruling liberal party. We believe RORO (Roxas-Robredo) team is
the best team who can deliver and is good for the province and the country,”
Mercado enthused.
The
hand-raising happened in Abgao village, Maasin City, the bailiwick of the
Mercados. The young Marcos and his mother, former First Lady Imelda
Romualdez-Marcos, campaigned in the province last week.
“The mother
and son tandem paid us a courtesy call and they happen to campaign in the
village where we live, so we welcomed them. But it is nothing. We are not
endorsing them, they know our loyalty to the Liberal Party,” Mercado said
The Mercados
are known to switch alliance in the past. They were allied with Lakas-Kampi CMD
in 2010, then the National Unity Party in 2013, before finally transferring to
the LP in October 2015.
The LP leadership
adopted the Mercados in the past in lieu of Vice Governor Shefferedd Lino Tan
and Board Members Albert Esclamado and Miguel Maamo II. Tan is now Rep.
Mercado’s nemesis in the gubernatorial post.
Before they
bolted LP at the last minute, or before the deadline of the filing of
candidacy, the Mercados were to run under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA)
of Vice President Jejomar Binay.
On the other
hand, LP chairman in the province Governor Roger Mercado denied the reports and
said their clan are 100 percent for Mar Roxas and the LP slate.
The older
Mercado is the incumbent governor and is running for the lone district of the
province. Last December 10, 2015, the last day of switching positions, two
swapped positions to run.
Gov. Roger
Mercado who first filed a CoC seeking fresh mandate as governor, is now running
for Congress, while Damian Mercado, who first filed for the lone district, is
now gunning the governorship.
Roger’s son
Nacional, provincial board member, is running for the highest post in Maasin
City.
The Mercados
also stressed that even if Maasin City is the birthplace of Davao City Mayor
Rodrigo Duterte, they are not endorsing the PDP-Laban presidential candidate.
“We have
obligation to our party. We have allegiance to the Liberal party,” Mercado
said.
LAP/SQM/VICKY C. ARNAIZ/EGR
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