Neophyte Nueva Ecija congressman to bolt LDP

CABANATUAN CITY — A neophyte congressman, who ended the Josons’ long winning streak in Nueva Ecija politics, is set to bolt the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) to join the pro-administration Lakas-NUCD.

Third district Rep. Aurelio Umali, who stunned political observers here by beating Gov. Tomas Joson III’s eldest son Edward Thomas and former three-term Palayan City Mayor Leonora Fajardo in the congressional race, has decided to abandon the LDP in favor of Lakas due to "serious and irreconcilable differences" with party mate, Makati Rep. Agapito "Butz" Aquino, party sources said.

A LDP source told The STAR that Umali was offended when the LDP’s national hierarchy junked him at the last minute as its official candidate and replaced him with Edward Thomas.

"He did not like what they did to him before the elections and to show his displeasure at how he was treated, he has decided to leave the party and join Lakas instead," the source added.

Umali’s impending transfer to the ruling party, the source said, was confirmed by the neophyte lawmaker himself and by fourth district Rep. Raul Villareal when they took their oaths before President Arroyo in Malacañang recently.

The source said Umali also got frustrated with the LDP when its national party leadership, reportedly upon Aquino’s instructions, withdrew its recognition of Ed Tumangan as the party’s provincial chairman. It was Tumangan who nominated and signed the certificate of candidacy of Umali.

After withdrawing Tumangan’s authority to nominate, Aquino later gave such authority to Gov. Joson who promptly nominated his son Edward Thomas. — Manny Galvez