Agbayani, Lambino lead bolt to LP
THE Liberal Party (LP) is gathering strength in vote-rich Pangasinan with about 50 of the province’s local government leaders recently joining its camp.
The new LP members, led by the former Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) co-chairs in the province, took their oath Friday at the party’s headquarters in Quezon City.
Former Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino told The PUNCH they were sworn in to LP by Sen. Mar Roxas, the party president, and former Sen. Franklin Drilon, LP chairman, with Sen. Benigno Aquino III, the party’s standard bearer for the 2010 presidential elections.
Aside from Lambino, other prominent local government heads who took their oath were second district Rep. Victor Agbayani, Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza, Bani Mayor Marcelo Navarro Jr., Aguilar Vice Mayor Roldan Sagles and Calasiao Vice Mayor Ferdinand Galang.
Agbayani and Lambino were both Lakas-CMD co-chairs in Pangasinan while Braganza, who is a nephew of former President Fidel Ramos, and Sagles were also former Lakas members. Navarro was a Kampi member and Galang won as an independent candidate.
Several others who are running for various positions in the 2010 elections from different towns in Pangasinan also joined LP.
Agbayani and Lambino will run as governor and vice governor, respectively, next year. Agbayani was governor for nine years together with Lambino who was also elected for three terms as vice governor.
“I’m sad because I had to leave Lakas which I served for 17 long years but at the same time happy because I now have the opportunity to serve a higher interest of the country and the people,” Agbayani said.
He also said that he is not resigning as member of Biskeg na Pangasinan, the only local political party in Pangasinan accredited by the Commission on Elections. Biskeg is headed by Undersecretary Antonio Villar Jr.
Lambino, for his part, said he informed the Lakas headquarters about his resignation a day prior to his LP oath taking.
He said with the Lakas-Kampi merger, he felt he no longer had a place in the group.
“So I think it’s time to move on,” he added.#
