| Davsur NPC leaders surprised over Lakas-Kampi merger |
| Written by Eldie S. Aguirre and Nilo Mercado | |
| Thursday, 03 July 2008 | |
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Local leaders of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) were amazed over the sudden fusion of the Lakas and Kampi political parties in Davao del Sur.
Digos City Vice-Mayor Joseph Peñas admitted he was ‘shocked’ when House Representative for District 2 Franklin Bautista declared in public they already mend their differences with Governor Douglas Cagas.
“This mean they are no longer political foes – but allies”, Peñas exclaimed.
Cagas who was then the congressman for the First District and the Lakas provincial chairman wrestled for the gubernatorial post against Claude Bautista, the House Representative of the Second District who is also the NPC provincial chairman.
The battle between two political kingpins rocked the province when both camps accused each other of cheating and rigging the election results that resulted to the delay of the final proclamation of winners in the provincial level.
Political observers claimed it was the most critical elections that happened in the province and nobody would ever thought that the warring clans would ‘iron’ the kinks and heal the political wounds in just a short span of time.
The seemingly impossible scenario is unfolding before the eyes of the people.
On the opening program for the 41st founding anniversary of Davao del Sur, Governor Cagas; House Representative Marc Cagas; and Provincial Board Member Mercedez Cagas, the governor’s son and wife, respectively were bracing their hands in public while declaring they have reconciled.
Peñas said they could not believe their eyes since nobody from the Bautistas had ever informed about the current situation.
The NPC party was supporting the bid of Claude Bautista against Cagas in the May 14, 2007 national and local elections; hence they were surprised by the sudden turn of events.
Franklin was Kampi’s (Ronaldo Puno faction) official bet for Congressman in District 2 making a head on collision with Jaime Chin – Cagas’ district officer, who also bid for the same position under Lakas-Kampi (Villafuerte Faction).
“The Cagas-Bautista merging will greatly affect the NPC. On the political scene this will mean a reduction of NPC leaders and supporters in District 2”, Vice-Governor Simplicio Latasa who is an NPC member said.
“Claude Bautista is still the NPC chairman in the province. We have to wait and see what’s next”, Digos City NPC chairman Mayor Arsenio Latasa said.
Latasa further said the NPC provincial leaders are not bothered by the Lakas and Kampi merging.
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