‘Pulong‘ snubs NUP meeting; 12 lawmakers bolt ruling party

The President’s son, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, did not attend the National Unity Party’s annual meeting Tuesday—even as 15 lawmakers took their oath as new members of the party identified with port services czar Enrique Razon Jr.

This amid talk that the young Duterte is not inclined to recognize the term-sharing agreement brokered by his father between Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig and Pateros and Marinduque Rep. Lord Alan Velasco.

Meanwhile, the ruling PDP-Laban is “updating its official membership database in the House of Representatives” following the decision of the 12 congressmen who bolted the administration party.

This was confirmed in a text message from the PDP-Laban National Headquarters as the political party of the President may no longer be the dominant political party at the Lower House as its membership has started to decrease.

Sources said the young Duterte is still eyeing the speakership after Cayetano finishes his 15-month term.

Velasco is supposed to succeed Cayetano in the last 21 months of the 18th Congress under the term-sharing agreement.

Deputy Speaker Roberto Puno, who represents Antipolo, earlier dispelled rumors that Duterte might gun for the speakership once the 15-month watch of Cayetano expired.

During the meeting, House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante of Manila led the group of congressmen who joined the NUP. Abante ran in the midterm polls under the banner of the local party Asenso Manileño.

Isabela Rep. Antonio Albano also joined the NUP, which will emerge as the second largest political party in the House. Albano, brother of former Isabela congressman and now Isabela Gov. Rodolfo Albano III, used to be a member of the ruling PDP-Laban.

“It is a very large party and a dominant party at that. I will be swimming among the big fish and my voice may not be heard. And it is a good position to have also as a neophyte congressman, being the vice president,” Albano, who was elected as NUP vice president, said.

As of the latest count, the NUP has 44 members in the House excluding Cayetano and Duterte. Both of them were adopted by the NUP but maintained their memberships in their respective parties.

Similarly, the NUP has also made alliances with 12 party-list congressmen, and some of them are members of the 54-strong party-list coalition.

Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. was elected party president, replacing Rep. Fredenil “Fred” Castro who resigned the presidency and his membership in the party.

The other elected officers of the NUP are former Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno as chairman, former congressman Alberto Garcia as vice chairman for local governance; former Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop as vice chairman for external affairs; Albano as vice president; Bulacan Rep. Gavini Pancho as vice president for Luzon; Rep. Pablo John Garcia of Cebu as vice president for the Visayas; Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano as vice president for Metro Manila; Edwin Ong as vice president for local governance; Jerry Treñas as vice president for special projects; Cavite Rep. Luis Ferrer IV of Cavite as treasurer; Masbate Rep. Narciso Bravo Jr. as secretary general; Reginald Velasco as deputy secretary general for political affairs; Brian Yamsuan as deputy secretary general for public affairs; and Rex de la Cruz as deputy secretary general for administration.

The NUP used to be called Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino, which propelled Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the presidency.

Arroyo and Senate President Vicente Sotto III founded the party in the 1990s.