PDP-Laban exec reminds pols to back President’s advocacies

TACLOBAN CITY, July 9  -- The regional president of ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party reminded its growing membership in Eastern Visayas to fully support President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s advocacies.

Marie Marjorie Jaramilla said the mass exodus from old parties to the ruling party is expected among politicians every after election of a new President to ensure “political survival.”

“Let us give chance to everybody. If they are for total change and if they will help the President’s advocacy, why not?” she said in an interview with reporters here Monday.

“We have a screening committee that evaluates their loyalty to the party and support to the President’s advocacy against illegal drugs and corruption,” she added.

Last week, Southern Leyte officials - led by lone district Rep. Roger Mercado and Governor Christopherson Yap - took their oath as new members of the administration party.

Jaramilla said the newest set of PDP-Laban members has been recognized as allies, but it was only last week after the President’s visit to the province that the formal oath-taking was administered.

The first to join the party in Eastern Visayas were officials from Leyte province. Former energy secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla abandoned the political party that carried his 2016 senatorial ambition and joined the President’s party last August 2017.

His brother, Leopoldo Dominico Petilla and their political allies in the entire province also took oath as new members of PDP-Laban.

Next to join were Biliran province officials led by Governor Gerry Espina and his brother Rep. Rogelio Espina.

Other key provincial officials in the region that jumped ships were Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan, Northern Samar Governor Jose Ong, and Eastern Samar Governor Marcelo Ferdinand Picardal.

All the 12 members of the House of Representatives also joined the party except for Northern Samar Rep. Raul Daza, a loyal Liberal Party member.

“About 90 percent of incumbent elected officials in the region are now members of PDP-Laban. During the 2016 election, we only had very few party mates and nobody won a seat in the local government,” Jaramilla said.

The region has six governors, seven city mayors, 139 town mayors and more than a thousand provincial and municipal legislators. (SQM/PNA)