The Victorias City vice mayor and nine councilors irrevocably resigned from the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino on Tuesday, April 23, following the announcement of a party official that PDP may field former mayor Francis Frederick “Wantan” Palanca as its candidate for governor of Negros Occidental in 2025.
Lawyer Jesus Villanueva Hinlo, PDP deputy secretary general for Visayas and Negros Occidental Council president, said on Monday that they are thinking of fielding Palanca, the former Victorias City mayor, for governor next year.
Victorias Vice Mayor Abelardo D. Bantug III and the city councilors, in a letter to PDP chairman Jose Alvarez said It has come to their attention that the PDP leadership has decided, if needed, to field Palanca against Lacson in the 2025 mid-term elections.
They said such decision was made without consultation with them and the incumbent officials of Victorias City.
It appears that the leadership of PDP under Hinlo overlooked the basic principle that an organization should promote inclusivity through “consultation before decision,” not the other way around, the Victorias officials said.
They said they fully support the statement of Victorias Mayor Javier Miguel L. Benitez, that “the governance style and decisions during former mayor Palanca’s administration do not reflect the current and future direction of Victorias City.”
They also said the PDP decision no longer aligns with theirs. It is “inconsistent, with the principles upon which we wish to govern and serve as public servants to our constituents,” they said, so they are tendering their irrevocable resignation from PDP effective immediately.
The letter was signed by Bantug and Victorias councilors Francis Frederick “Derek” Palanca, Deilen Hofileña, Teresita Bartolome, Hermie Millan, Dino Jose Maria Acuña, Danilo de Asis Jr., Audie Malaga, Dexter Senido and Joji Larraga.
HINLO REPLIES
Hinlo, in response, said before he accepted the offer of the PDP to be its deputy secretary general for Visayas and provincial council president, he informed the national leadership that he intends to strengthen the party in Negros Occidental from the ground up.
He said their considering the former Victorias mayor as PDP’s possible gubernatorial bet had been “discussed with our party’s known active members, allies and the public”.
“If those Victorias City officials are in disagreement, they should have consulted with me and I would have gladly clarified the matter with them,” he said.
Hinlo said for the record former “mayor Wantan has not yet accepted our invitation for him to represent PDP as our governor candidate. He has however, been appointed and has taken his oath of office as PDP’s vice president in Negros Occidental”.
In the event that the former mayor accepts the challenge and their invitation for him to run for governor in 2025, “it is expected by PDP for the people of Victorias City to rally behind Wantan and to take pride of having one of their kasimanwas run for governor of our province”, Hinlo said.
UNEGA BACKS LACSON
Meanwhile, officials of the United Negros Alliance (UNegA) on Wednesday said that their coalition with Love Negros will support the reelection bid of Lacson in 2025.
Lacson, who is a member of Love Negros, has announced that he is running for a third and last term as governor next year.
Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante, UNegA secretary general and a PDP Laban member, said he was not aware of PDP’s plan to support Palanca for governor and that Hinlo did not discuss the matter with him.
As far as UNegA is concerned it will continue its coalition with Love Negros and support the reelection bid of Lacson, Escalante said.
The PDP members in UNegA are committed to the coalition, he said.
Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, UNegA president, said PDP’s plan to support Palanca is their concern, he does not know what their party process is.
As far as UNegA and Love Negros are concerned they will remain united in support of Lacson, Ferrer said.*