Davao City: Duterte party to expel disloyal village chiefs

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Lawyer Jesus Melchor Quitain, vice chairman of Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, said that he already prepared and set to submit to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte the list of barangays chieftains that Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte recommended to be removed from the party due to grounds of disloyalty in supporting another candidate.

Quitain, in a media interview on Tuesday, April 5, said that he will submit the same document the Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte sent to him to the city mayor.

“We will be submitting the same document for his approval because he is the chairman of the Hugpong Sa Tawong Lungsod.” Quitain said.

Vice Mayor Duterte last week sent a letter to Quitain asking for removal of some 70 barangay chairpersons reported to have been supporting the candidacy of Abet Ungab, brother of incumbent 3rd district congressman Isidro Ungab.

Abet is the opponent of Karlo Bello, Hugpong candidate in the 3rd congressional district.

Quitain said that the fate of the village chiefs will only be known once the resolution comes out.

He added that in case that removal be granted it will be the first time for the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod to have such mandate.

Meanwhile, Quitain also said that Vice Mayor Duterte’s reported endorsement of presidential candidate Senator Francis Escudero is also a matter that they are set to discuss in the executive committee of the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod.

“It is matter that is very sensitive, it is best to keep it to ourselves,” Quitain said.

Mayor Duterte’s vice presidential candidate is Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. – Rappler.com 

This article is republished under Rappler’s content sharing agreement with the SunStar network in the coverage of the 2016 national and local elections.