Bacolod re-electionist Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran led 11 Grupo Progreso candidates in transferring to the Nacionalista Party (NP) of then senator Manny Villar.
In a virtual ceremony held Wednesday night, Leonardia and Familiaran took their oaths before Villar, a former Senate president and House speaker, who was joined by his wife, incumbent Senator Cynthia Villar.
Also taking their oaths as new members of the NP, the oldest political party in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, were incumbent councilors Renecito Novero, Cindy Rojas, Carl Lopez, and Israel Salanga.
Joining them were come-backing councilor and former city administrator Em Legaspi-Ang, businessman and former student leader Ed Guillem, former barangay captain, youth and LGBT leader Jonathan Diaz, IT industry expert and neophyte politician Cashmere Montalvo, who is the daughter of former Bacolod mayor Jose “Digoy” Montalvo, and Dr. Chris Sorongon, who is deputy for medical of the Emergency Operations Center-Task Force Against COVID-19.
NP stalwart and former Iloilo 4th District Rep. Ferjenel Biron also joined as witness, a press release from the city said Oct. 7.
Incumbent Councilor Dindo Ramos is already an NP member, while Councilor Archie Baribar decided to remain with the Promdi group. GP councilor-candidate Marlon Solidum also stayed with the Nationalist People’s Coalition.
In their oath, Leonardia, previously with the NPC founded by the late Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., and the official NP Bacolod slate, “promised to protect and serve its (NP) good name, observe and honor its ideology, beliefs and platform, and faithfully comply with all its rules and regulations, as well as the orders and directives of its duly constituted officers and governing bodies.”
“I will uphold the highest interest of the nation at all times and fight for honesty and integrity to bring about order for our nation,” they added. | |
