Dolereich Dumaluan, a longtime member and president of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) in Bohol, on Friday slammed Vice Governor Dionisio Balite’s claim that he has been appointed as interim chairman of the party’s council in the province.
Dumaluan said he was elected as president of PDP-Laban Bohol in 2012 and there had been no elections held since then, noting that a chairmanship at the provincial level does not exist based on the party rules.
“I do not know if authorized ba siya na peke man na iya, di man siya elected. There is no position na chairman. They have to resolve this one. Being at a higher rank than him [Balite], I think he should observe delicadeza, courtesy and decorum,” said Dumaluan who is also recognized as the party’s deputy secretary general for the Visayas.
The statement was issued just hours after Balite, as PDP-Laban’s interim council chairman in Bohol, said that the party will endorse Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco, Jr. as gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 polls.
According to Balite, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, national president of the ruling PDP-Laban, signed his appointment as provincial chairman on January 11, 2018.
“Sugod karon, ang atong governor si Cabsec Evasco. Siya’y among gipa-pili kung kinsa ang bise-gobernador niya,” he said.
Dumaluan noted that although he has nothing against Evasco’s possible gubernatorial bid, the PDP-Laban should organize a party convention to clarify the ranks within the party and to conduct the nomination of candidates for the midterm elections.
He also floated Rep. Arthur Yap as possible candidate for governor in 2019.
“Kay duha man sila ka kandidato, di mag-convention ta. Mao ny proseso na angay subayon nato,” Dumaluan said.
Yap has taken oath as member of the PDP-Laban and paid P120,000 contribution to the party but has yet to take a Basic Membership Seminar, said Dumaluan.
Evasco, although a trusted aide of President Duterte who is the PDP-Laban chairman, is a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition. (A. Doydora)