LINGAYEN—The Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) of former President Joseph Estrada in Pangasinan has suffered a big setback with the affiliation of its members from Mangatarem town to the ruling, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats.

Led by former 2nd district Congressman Teodoro Cruz, who used to be the PMP’s provincial chairman, he and members of his group took their oath on Thursday before Governor Victor Agbayani, Lakas-CMD co-provincial chairman.

Those who also took their oath before Agbayani were Teodoro’s younger brother, Mayor Nelson Cruz and Vice Mayor Gil Cuaresma of Mangatarem, and members of their municipal council, former Mangatarem Mayor  Lamberto Cruz (father of Teodoro and Nelson), and Nelson’s father-in-law Don Marcial Punzal.

This marked the final reconciliation of Cruz and Agbayani who opposed each other in 2001 when the latter sought his first re-election.

Cruz, then in his first term of office after serving as mayor of Mangatarem for one term, lost to Agbayani by a wide margin.

“We were opponents but never enemies. We were rivals for the same position but I don’t think we did anything that would prevent us from reconciling,” Agbayani told newsmen after the oath-taking.

He said there was a mutual agreement between him and the former congressman to join forces in Mangatarem, adding that it is not necessary any more to point out who initiated it and how it started.

After his unsuccessful bid for the governorship against Agbayani, Cruz thenran under the PMP banner.

The affiliation of Cruz and company with Lakas leaves the PMP in Mangatarem, the second congressional district and possibly the whole of Pangasinan leaderless and without any member at all.

Agbayani welcomed Cruz and his group to their party, saying this is a big boost to the ruling coalition because “politics is addition.”–LM

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments