HNP not endorsing local candidates, despite earlier speculation

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia said he has yet to receive an invitation to the upcoming PDP-Laban rally, which is scheduled to take place on Friday at the Victorias City Coliseum beginning at 2:00 p.m. President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to be in attendance. The mayor noted, he is currently coordinating with Bacolod City lone district Rep. Greg Gasataya as he is not fully aware of all the details.

Leonardia, despite being sworn in as a PDP-Laban member in October 2016, alongside 11 members of his Grupo Progreso (GP) coalition, said, “as a Nationalist People’s Coalition member,” he is busy preparing for a Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) campaign event later this month.

“We have been coordinating with the office of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte,” he affirmed.

Earlier this month, GP sent out a press release indicating Leonardia had been endorsed by the HNP chairperson with the press statement calling it a “big-time endorsement.” The press release went on to indicate, “HNP is also expected to support the candidacies of Congressman Greg Gasataya, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, and the GP slate.”

At the time, he said there were plans to form an alliance between HNP and GP.

However, according to recent reports, the presidential daughter said her coalition would not be endorsing local candidates in the upcoming midterm elections.

“HNP does not endorse local candidates,” she affirmed.

Duterte explained, photos of her posing with various 2019 aspirants is indicative of the candidate’s support for her father’s candidacy for president and his current administration.

Meanwhile, the president is also expected to attend a campaign rally after distributing land to agrarian reform beneficiaries in Sagay City./DGB, WDJ