Paz confirms transfer to PDP-Laban

Mayor to ask for another oath-taking ceremony 

CEBU, Philippines - Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza has confirmed that she and members of the City Council are all switching allegiance to the ruling party Partidong Demokratikong Pilipino- Lakas ng Bayan (PDP- Laban) of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Radaza said she just failed to attend the oath-taking at the Sacred Heart Center on D. Jakosalem Street, Cebu City last week because of incomplete requirements.

“Late man among papeles, mga information data sa mga individual elected officials sa Lapu-Lapu City,” she said.

More than 300 local officials from the cities of Manduaue and Cebu and 17 Cebu municipalities recently took their oath as members of PDP-Laban before House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

Radaza said she was just near the vicinity where the oath-taking took place but she did not show up as doing so without her City Council allies was a bad idea.

“I was just around the area. Wa nalang ko nipadayon. Alanganin man mi kay it has to be full force of Lapu-Lapu. Bati man tan-awon, dili kumpleto,” she said.

She said Vice Mayor Marcial Ycong was out-of-town that day and there was “lack of communication”.

The mayor said she will request Alvarez for another oath-taking activity.

“Mag-schedule pa, wa pa namo nahatag (ang papers). We will have some other time. Basin pwede ra sa Manila for the reason nga naalanganin man sad mi,” she said.

The mayor said their decision to join PDP-Laban is for the good of their constituents, as the city government’s programs, particularly on their campaign against illegal drugs, is similar to Duterte’s advocacies.

“For the good of siyudad and at the same time, I like President Duterte sa iyahang peace and order (program), sa drugs, mura’g sort of ni-align… in Lapu-Lapu,” she said.

Radaza became part of Lakas-Kampi in 2010 then transferred to the Liberal Party in 2013.

Her previous alliance with LP became an issue with businessman Efrain Pelaez, Jr., (now part of the NPC), who claimed to be the standard-bearer of the group during that time.

Asked about the existing PDP-Laban group in the city, Radaza said she is aware of them.

In the campaign period and the recent elections last May, PDP-Laban in the city was led by Rolando Patalinjug.

“Wa man ta nanamak or unsa. Naka-suporta man sad sila. We support the administration and the president’s campaign against illegal drugs,” Radaza said.

Her daughter, lone district Representative Ailene Radaza, was the first one who joined the ruling party last June in Manila together  with Cebu Representatives Wilfredo Caminero (2nd district), Gwendolyn Garcia (3rd district), Jonas Cortes (6th district) and Peter John Calderon (7th district). (FREEMAN)