NP, LP fortifying ranks for 2010 polls

Local officials continue to play the musical chairs as the period for the filing of the certificates of candidacy approaches. Manila Vice Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso on Wednesday took his oath as the latest member of Nacionalista Party (NP) under Senator Manuel Villar Jr. despite being the running mate of reelectionist Mayor Alfredo Lim, who's under the banner of the Liberal Party (LP). In a press statement, Moreno said his support is with Villar who he said was born poor like him in the slums of Tondo. “Naniniwala akong si Senator Manny Villar ang nagtataglay ng katangi-tanging kakayanang mamuno, sapagkat alam niya ang pakiramdam ng kumakalam na sikmura ng mga mahihirap nating kababayan bilang nakaahon at nagtagumpay dito," Moreno said. (I believe in the leadership of Senator Villar for he knows how it feels to be hungry like many of our poor fellowmen.) Lim's Laban Para sa Kapayapaan, Katarungan, Kaunlaran (Laban-KKK) last Monday signed a coalition agreement with LP to support the tandem of Senators Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III and Manuel "Mar" Roxas II for president and vice president, respectively. LP, meanwhile, is set to take as its new members on Thursday former senator Joey Lina, who will be running for governor in Laguna; Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio; Gingoog City Mayor Ruthie Guingona; and Pasay City Mayor Antonio Calixto. In a phone interview with GMANews.TV, Florencio Abad, LP’s vice president for programs and platform, said actor Edu Manzano was also supposed to take his oath Thursday but had to postpone it as the latter has a commitment in Zamboanga. He added local officials from Palawan are set to formally join the party in the next days. “These generally show the national trend of support Noynoy and Mar are getting from the local officials," Abad said. Moreno, on the other hand, said his group, Asenso Manileño, will forge a formal alliance with NP, committing grassroots support in Manila for Villar. The NP has reached its 2,000-membership mark for incumbent officials with 200 new members who took their oaths. Aside from Moreno, the new NP members were Parañaque Rep. Eduardo Zialcita, erstwhile Lakas-CMD deputy spokesman; Apayao Gov. Elias Bulut Sr.; Aurora Vice-Gov. Gerardo Noveras; several vice-mayors from Luzon; and councilors from the National Capital Region. Some 150 incumbent and aspiring leaders from Lanao are also set to take their oath before Villar in the following days. - GMANews.TV