Press Release
November 22, 2009

Villar's NP drafts Herrera for Bohol governor vs actor

Presidential aspirant Sen. Manuel Villar has drafted as Nacionalista Party (NP) candidate for Bohol governor the province's incumbent vice governor, Julius Herrera.

Herrera, national president of the League of Vice Governors of the Philippines, took his oath as NP member over the weekend, along with his vice gubernatorial running mate, provincial administrator Tomas Abapo Jr.

They were joined by a contingent of local executives - provincial board members, mayors and vice mayors -- that previously belonged to the administration party Lakas Kampi CMD.

NP spokesperson and former Cavite Rep. Gilbert Remulla said Herrera easily enjoyed the support of 38 out of Bohol's 47 municipal mayors.

Herrera is younger brother of former senator and labor leader Ernesto Herrera, who also previously represented in Congress one of Bohol's three congressional districts.

When he was chairman of the Senate finance committee, the older Herrera also saw to it that Congress set aside more than P1 billion for the province-wide concreting of Bohol's road network.

The younger Herrera would face as opponent actor Cesar Montano, the Liberal Party candidate for Bohol governor.

The incumbent Bohol governor, Erico Aumentado, is on his third term and barred from seeking reelection. Aumentado himself is allied with Villar and Herrera.

"Bohol has always been Nacionalista," the younger Herrera said.

The late President Carlos Polistico Garcia, creator of the Filipino First policy, which put the interests of the Filipino people above those of foreigners and of the ruling party, was a Boholano and a Nacionalista throughout his political career.

Garcia was governor, congressman, senator, foreign affairs secretary, and vice president before he served as president of the republic from 1957 to 1961.

News Latest News Feed