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By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

THE Padayon Pilipino has decided to adopt Councilor Lourdes “Candy” Darimbang as its bet against Rep. Rolando “Klarex” Uy in the city’s 1st District, Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas announced.

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Acenas, who is seeking reelection, said Padayon Pilipino leaders met and agreed to support the bid of Darimbang to unseat Uy next year.

Acenas had considered running for congressman in the same district but decided to remain as the running mate of ex-mayor Vicente Emano, hinting of his party’s decision.

He said, “Dunay mga party decision nga angayan konsiderahon og na-desidahan nga walay ipadagan sa 1st District pagka-congressman. Kini with consultation with other members of the party.”

Acenas said it was a “unified decision” by the Padayon Pilipino to adopt Darimbang, and the decision was arrived during a party meeting on Friday evening with ex-mayor Emano, the founding leader of the political group.

“Walay misupak sa group. Gitimbang-timbang pag-ayo kung unsa ang ikahatag nga kaayohan sa partido,” Acenas said.

But while the Padayon Pilipino is a member of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) headed by presidential candidate Vice President Jejomar Binay, Darimbang claimed she has remained to be a supporter of the presidential bid of former Interior secretary Manuel Roxas II.

Darimbang also said in an earlier interview that not one of the mayoral candidates here––Mayor Oscar Moreno of the Liberal Party, Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of the Centrist Democratic Party, and Emano––would get her support. “No, I cannot support them especially the incumbent mayor,” she said in an interview last week.

Acenas however said the Padayon Pilipino’s decision was a strategy to unseat Uy who has fielded members of his family as candidates for other key positions in the city.

He said the Padayon Pilipino would boost Darimbang’s winning chances against Uy who has turned the city’s 1st District as his family’s political bailiwick.

“Darimbang has her own supporters, and the supporters of Padayon Pilipino would be a plus factor for her so she would have an edge against Uy,” Acenas said.

He also noted that the votes Darimbang (26,298) and former congressman Jose Benjamin Benaldo (31,652) garnered in a previous election, if added up, would be enough to beat Uy who received 29,888 votes in 2013 elections. Benaldo used to be Padayon Pilipino’s bet.

Acenas also noted Darimbang’s potentials, citing that she topped the race for city council seats in the 1st District in the 2013 elections as LP candidate.

“Dako na kaayo kini nga edge nga magkausa ang duha ka puwersa,” he said.

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