President Benigno Aquino III is definitely arriving to administer the oath to about 60 new members of the Liberal Party at the Natures Village Resort in Talisay City tomorrow, Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) yesterday said.

We are rebuilding the LP in Negros Occidental to make it a party to reckon with in 2013, Senator Franklin Drilon, LP vice chairman, told the DAILY STAR yesterday.

“We are also strengthening the LP all over the country,” he said.

The Presidential Management Staff has confirmed that the president is arriving for a quick visit to grace the LP convention, Benitez, LP Negros Occidental chairman, said.

About 60 new LP members in Negros Occidental will take their oath before Aquino, who is the LP chairman. They will include mayors of Negros Occidental, Benitez said.

The LP convention begins with a training activity for new members this afternoon with LP Director General Ma.Gladys Cruz- Sta. Rita.

Joining the president at the convention tomorrow are Drilon, Transportation and Communication Secretary Mar Roxas - LP president and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo – LP executive vice president.

The LP has raided the Lakas CMD, the party of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, of most of its mayors in Negros Occidental, but has kept its hands off the Nationalist People’s Alliance with which it has an alliance.

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., who heads the United Negros Alliance and NPC Negros, said he will attend the LP convention.

The NPC and UNA has an existing alliance with the LP, he said.

Benitez earlier said more than nine of the 32 mayors in Negros Occidental will join the LP but he will reveal the names of the rest later.

The nine mayors from the Lakas CMD joining the LP are: Marxlen De la Cruz – Don Salvador Benedicto (first district); Leo Rafael Cueva – Sagay, Patrick Escalante – Cadiz and Ma. Lourdes Socorro Escalante – Manapla (second district); Eric Saratan – Talisay City (third district); Francisco Nazareno - Moises Padilla, Francisco Malabor – Isabela and Alberto Nicor Jr. – La Castellana (fifth district); and Jechonias Manzano – Candoni, Benitez said.*CPG

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