Davao Region leaders cut national party ties, form regional party

FOUR of five provincial governors and a majority of elected officials in the Davao Region are resigning from their national party affiliations after forming the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), which formally convened for the first time on Friday.

“The agreement is when we run next election (2019), we will run under HNP,” Davao City Mayor and presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio said during a press conference prior to HNP General Assembly on Friday.

The assembly is intended to discuss preparations for filing as a regional party with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Ms. Carpio said the establishment of the HNP is aimed “to strengthen Davao Region” in terms of “progress and development”.

Among those who formed the HNP are Ms. Carpio, who will be sitting as party chair, along with Governors Nelson L. Dayanghirang (Davao Oriental), Claude P. Bautista (Davao Occidental), Anthony G. del Rosario (Davao del Norte), and Jayvee Tyron L. Uy (Compostela Valley).

Mr. Uy, who led a group of 130 local officials from Compostela Valley, said he has resigned early Friday morning from the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

President Rodrigo R. Duterte, who was mayor of Davao City for more than two decades, ran under the PDP-Laban in the 2016 presidential elections.

Prior to that, Mr. Duterte belonged only to the Davao City-based Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod party, which he founded.

In a press statement Thursday, Ms. Carpio said the formation as well as the name of Hugpong ng Pagbabago was approved by her father.

Mr. Dayanghirang of Davao Oriental said he already asked permission to resign from the Liberal Party, a move that Mr. Del Rosario of Davao del Norte did last year. Mr. Bautista said he is also deemed resigned from the Nationalist People’s Coalition once he runs under the HNP.

Ms. Carpio said Davao del Sur Governor Douglas R. Cagas, a member of the Nationalista Party, was also invited to join HNP but did not immediately accept the offer. — Carmencita A. Carillo