A group in the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) identified with the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) is reportedly fighting to put Gov. Roel Degamo as the party’s standard bearer in Negros Oriental.
This was revealed by Degamo, who told the MetroPost in an interview last Thursday that former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri met with his emissary last Wednesday. In that meeting, Zubiri told Degamo’s emissary–whom the governor did not name–that their group sees Degamo as a winnable candidate over former Finance Secretary Gary Teves.
“The UNA survey is consistent with the results of our own survey here in Negros Oriental,” Degamo said.
Teves was endorsed as the UNA gubernatorial bet by Vice President Jejomar Binay last month when Binay, accompanied by some political allies from Manila, came to attend the 92nd birthday celebration of former Rep. Herminio Teves.
One of those who endorsed Gary Teves was Sen. Koko Pimentel, who replaced Zubiri after Pimentel was declared the rightful winner in the last election.
However, Degamo said that even if the talks do not materialize, he is ready to run for governor, with or without a party.
“In this day and age of automated elections, it is not necessary to employ watchers and it is also not necessary to get a copy of the election returns because the ballots will automatically be tallied,” Degamo said.
He said he will be running under a platform of good governance. “We have seen how our people appreciate what we have been doing in the past months and I intend to continue what we have started,” he said.
Degamo said he will field a full slate in the coming elections, although he declined to name his candidates, saying “it’s too early.”
Degamo’s decision to run for governor with or without a party has firmed up the expected three-way gubernatorial race in May 2013.
Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, meanwhile, breezed into Dumaguete last week and held a closed-door meeting with Liberal Party leaders in Negros Oriental at the residence of Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong.
In that meeting, Robredo told the LP leaders that President Benigno Aquino III and Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas have agreed to endorse Limkaichong’s bid for governor in 2013.
Robredo said the local LP is solid and are no factions in the local LP, quashing speculations that Gov. Degamo was also pinning his hopes to be the standard bearer of LP.