Cebu legislators: Strange bedfellows

As the jump on the Duterte bandwagon continues, new oaths of allegiance for the winning party are expected from local politicians. But what can be expected now that political nemesis find themselves under the same umbrella of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban ng Bayan (PDP-Laban)?

Incoming second district Representative Wilfredo Caminero, formerly a member of the Liberal Party (LP) before taking his oath with PDP-Laban last Monday, said that there should be no problem working with former political rivals in Congress.

“There are no problems. Even before, when we were in opposite parties, the dynamics in Congress are different from the dynamics in the local (arena). Magtinabangay ra mi sa bulohaton (We just help each other),” Caminero told CDN in a phone interview.

“I think that it will not create a difference. It’s business as usual for us,” he added.

Caminero clarified that he and incoming seventh district Representative Peter John Calderon, also formerly with LP, sought the blessing of party officials before moving to the camp of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.

Caminero recalled talking to outgoing House Speaker Sonny Belmonte (LP) who, he said, understood their decision.

For her part, reelected third district Representative Gwendolyn Garcia, formerly with the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), refused to comment on her working relationship with other Cebu representatives who fought against her local party, One Cebu, in the May elections but are now her partymates under PDP-Laban.

“I won’t comment on that since it’s not yet the appropriate time,” she said in a phone interview.

For incoming sixth district Representative Jonas Cortes, his decision to leave LP for PDP-Laban was prompted by a need to gather as much support for priority bills which he intends to propose in Congress. The redistricting of Cebu, giving Mandaue City sole representation in Congress, and the conversion of the town of Consolacion into a city would be among his priorities, he said.

Cortes, Caminero, Garcia, Calderon and Lapu-Lapu City Representative Aileen Radaza (LP) took their oaths as new members of PDP-Laban in a hotel in Makati City last Monday.