VM Dadivas to support LP congressional bet, not his father
ROXAS CITY – Liberal Party (LP) under the leadership of Sen. Mar Roxas assured that the party will still protect and support the reelection bid of City Vice Mayor Ronnie Dadivas despite his father’s defection from the party to run for congressman as an independent candidate.
It was learned that the younger Dadivas is against the plan of his father former First District Rep. Rodriguez Dadivas to run for congressman.
Vice Mayor Dadivas is the running mate of former City Vice Mayor Allan Celino who is running for mayor. They filed their COCs on Sunday together with ten city councilorables under the banner of the LP.
However, Ronnie was seen alone during the filing of candidacy as no one from his family, except for his wife Joan Del Rosario and relatives, accompanied him.
The city vice mayor also assured that he will support his party mate reelectionist Cong. Antonio del Rosario instead of his father.
“I want you to know that your vice mayor will still be your vice mayor after the May election. It may seem to be a difficult situation but this challenge is a test of my conviction. I know where I stand. Kaya ko ni. Don’t you worry, I’m still a Liberal and I can fight to win the election. Salamat sa inyo pagsalig kag pag palangga sa akon,” the younger Dadivas said.
Earlier, the older Dadivas said that there’s no turning back in his congressional bid thus, there will be a 3-cornered fight among incumbent Cong. del Rosario, Vice Gov. Felipe Barredo and himself.
A source said that Dadivas is disgruntled with the LP leadership especially Sen. Mar Roxas since he was promised to run for congressman in the 1st district instead of incumbent Rep. Del Rosario who was earlier said to run for city mayor against incumbent Mayor Vicente Bermejo.
However, the camp of Sen. Roxas denied having promised to the older Dadivas saying the latter was only informed to prepare to run for congress once Rep. Del Rosario opted to run as city mayor. The LP hierarchy also informed former Gov. Esteban Contreras to do the same as they were called as “standby generators” by the LP.
Dadivas, a good follower of LP, is a two termer 1st district congressman from 2001 to 2007. He has never sought reelection in 2007 election after Sen. Roxas asked him to sacrifice and quit to run in favor of Cong. Del Rosario.
Dadivas, it was learned, sacrificed not to run in his last term in favor of his son Ronnie, a first termer city councilor but abruptly promoted as vice mayor by the dominant party.
According to the source, the older Dadivas asked his son Junjun not to pursue his plan to run as Sangguniang Bayan member (SB) in Panitan.
