• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Two Negros Occidental mayors are returning to Lakas CMD, a political party of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, while a neophyte town mayor is also joining the bandwagon.
Manapla Mayor Manuel Escalante III disclosed on Tuesday that he, Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr., and Toboso Mayor Madonnah Jaojoco are expecting to take their oaths next week as Lakas CMD members.
Romualdez, first cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is the Lakas CMD president, a dominant political party in the House of Representatives.
Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is the Lakas CMD chairperson-emeritus.
Escalante said his entire slate in Manapla, including the vice mayor and councilors, will also join Lakas CMD.
The two Escalantes are among the original members of Lakas CMD in Negros Occidental, before joining the PDP Laban of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Escalante said they are still waiting for the go signal from Negros Occidental 2nd District Representative Alfredo Marañon III, who is arriving on Thursday, regarding the final schedule of their oath taking.
Marañon and Sagay City Mayor Narwin Javelosa, on the other hand, are affiliated with National Unity Party, which established an alliance with the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, which was founded by PBBM in 2028.
Former Toboso Mayor Richard Jaojoco, who was succeeded by his wife, Madonnah, said he is still with PDP, since 2016.*
