The exodus to the party in power goes on. In Bohol, now in the fold of the Liberal Party (LP) are Rep. Rene Relampagos, Gov. Edgar Chatto, Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim and Mayor Roberto Cajes. Third district Rep. Arthur Yap was reported to be next in line to be counted as new convert of the LP whose titular head is no less than Pres. Noynoy Aquino. Yap, who served first as National Food Authority administrator and then Agriculture secretary under former Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, won uncontested in the 2010 congressional polls. To clear the way, Yap approached former Pres. Erap Estrada who in turn gave the marching orders to Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim. It was Lim who requested Dr. Elpedio Jala, former Tagbilaran Department of Education superintendent, to withdraw his congressional bid and instead run for vice-governor under the LP with actor Cesar Montano as the party standard-bearer.

This time around, Jala is no longer interested to give way but is set to pursue his aborted bid for Congress. Jala is expected to clinch the LP party nomination considering that he is the only original among those vying for the post. Loboc Mayor Leon Calipusan, who has also declared his intention to challenge Yap after serving three consecutive terms, is also a recent recruit to the LP. Calipusan’s bid suffered a big blow after provincial LP officials led by Chatto and Lim made it difficult for the Loboc mayor even just to take his oath to the LP. A vice-mayor in the third district confirmed that the governor and the vice governor are more inclined towards Yap for obvious reasons. “They (Chatto, Lim and Yap) were part of the original Lakas power bloc while Calipusan was identified with Cong. Erico Aumentado,” the vice mayor who declined to be identified pointed out.

Meanwhile, a mayor of an eastern town confirmed that Yap was endorsed by nearly all of the mayors in the third district as the LP official candidate for congressman. “If I am not mistaken, 13 of the 19 mayors in the third district are supporting him,” the mayor revealed. Yap’s entry into the LP, however, is expected to encounter rough sailing despite the support of Chatto and Lim and the endorsement of the 17 mayors. As GMA’s Agriculture secretary, Yap was part of the officials believed answerable in the so-called fertilizer scam. A second district mayor in fact claimed that Yap is “no. 5” on the Aquino administration’s “hit list” and might have already come under fire by this time if not for the impeachment trial. Yap reportedly tried to open the door for his possible entry into the camp of Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay but local leaders intervened. “If he can do this to GMA, he can do this to (Binay) in 2016,” said Mayor Lim. Meanwhile, a Lakas insider said Yap’s reported offer to join the LP has earned the ire of GMA and former First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo. More than Chatto, Cajes and the rest of the former Lakas insiders who have jumped ship to the LP, Yap was not expected to bolt the former administration party because of his closeness to the Arroyos. “The Arroyos never expected that he would abandon them this early,” the source said.