LP local stalwarts in Oriental Mindoro foresee landslide win for Mar-Leni tandem

Top local government officials in Oriental Mindoro led by Governor Alfonso V. Umali, Jr., a close ally of President Benigno Aquino III, are endorsing the Mar Roxas-Leni Robredo tandem for the 2016 presidential elections, assuring their partymates in the Liberal Party that the two and their senatorial line-up will win by a landslide in the province.

Gov. Umali said all mayors of the province's 14 municipalities, except Calapan City, have pledged their full support to the presidential and vice presidential bids of Roxas and Robredo, respectively.

Calapan City Mayor Arnan C. Panaligan, however, said he is firm in supporting the candidates of his party, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) – Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is running for president, and his vice presidential running mate, Senator Gregorio Honasan.

"It's too early to tell," Mayor Panaligan said on the forecast made by LP.

Gov. Umali, who is also the concurrent treasurer of the Liberal Party, said his forecast of a landslide victory of the Mar-Leni duo is based on what they claimed as overwhelming clamor of Mindorenos to see in the national government the continuation of the Daang Matuwid program of the Aquino administration.

The governor is a political mainstay in Mindoro politics who started his career in the province as provincial administrator of former Governor and Congressman Rodolfo G. Valencia, then followed by his stint in Congress from 2001 up to 2010 as representative of the province's second legislative district and as governor after he won against then Gov. Panaligan by a margin of 105 votes in 2010 up to the present. In the 2013 polls, he ran unopposed as governor.

Oriental Mindoro has been the political stronghold of the Umalis, ruling the province during the time of pre- and Martial Law years with their father, Alfonso, Sr. as governor.

Gov. Umali's brother, Second District Congressman Rey V. Umali and Congressman Paulino Salvador "Doy" C. Leachon (LP-First District) and Vice Governor Humerlito "Bonz" A. Dolor are also Liberal Party bigwigs who could possibly sweep their individual political bout.

Rep. Leachon is being challenged by one-termer vice mayor Henry Joel C. Teves of Naujan, a vote-rich municipality and who is being pushed by City Mayor Panaligan, his partymate to run for that post.

The provincial Comelec announced that the candidates are as follows: for governor: incumbent Gov. Umali (LP), Rosalina S. Andaya (Sandugo), Jonathan Batoy (Bagong Maharlika); for vice governor: Humerlito A. Dolor (LP), Romeo V. Roxas (Ind.), Osaias Irangan (BM); for congressman: (First District): Henry Joel C. Teves (UNA), Paulino Salvador C. Leachon (LP), (Second District), Reynaldo V. Umali (LP), Maylene P. Morante (BM); for Sangguniang Panlalawigan members (First district), Rafael L. Infantado (LP),Apollo E. Feraren (LP), Ryan Z. Arago (LP), Juan Paolo G. Luna (LP),Estela E. Malapitan (LP), Antonio Perez, Jr. (NPC), Idelberto C. Ilano, Jr. (NPC), Alvaro Eduardo (Ind.), Rocky Martinez (UNA);(Second District): Antonio L. Baldos (Ind), Mae Arlene M. Talens (LP), Flor de Roxas-Atienza (LP), Ramil O. Dimapilis (LP), Jean Paulo R. Umali (LP), Alfredo M. Evangelista, Jr. (Ind), Martin S. Buenaventura (LP), Manuel Morente Jr. (Sandugo), George Voltaire Alvarez (Ind.), Julito Layoso (BM), Marsueto P. Dandal Jr., (BM), Eric G. Sigue (Ind.), Evelyn R. Montemayor (Sandugo). (PNA)