Marcos attends Partido Federal oathtaking

MANILA, Philippines —  Thirty-two political personalities, including Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., have joined the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), the party that carried President Marcos in the race for the presidency last year.

The new PFP members took their oath in the presence of Marcos last Friday at Malacañang, a post by the Presidential Communications Office showed.

Abalos confirmed to The STAR that he has joined the political party of President Marcos. He was previously with PDP-Laban, the party of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Abalos chaired the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority during Duterte’s term. He left his post in
 February 2022 to serve as Marcos’ national campaign manager.

The new members of the party include Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez (4th district), his wife Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez, Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin Abalos Sr., Laguna Rep. Maria Jamina Katherin Agarao (4th district), Negros Occidental Rep. Francisco Benitez (3rd district), Pangasinan Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas (6th district), San Jose del Monte Rep. Florida Robes, Occidental Mindoro Rep. Leody Tarriela, Quezon City Rep. Ralph Wendel Tulfo (2nd district), Bulacan Rep. Linabelle Ruth Villarica (4th district), former Laguna representative Benjamin Agarao, Jr. (4th district), Quirino Gov. Dakila Carlo Cua, Cabanatuan City Mayor Myca Elizabeth Vergara,  Meycauayan Mayor Henry Villarica, Pasay Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano, Mandaluyong Vice Mayor Carmelita Aguilar-Abalos and South Cotabato Vice Mayor Antonio Bendita.

Other politicians who took their oath were Mandaluyong Councilors Benjamin Abalos III, Charisse Abalos, Estanislao Alim III, Reginald Antiojo, Michael Eric Cuejillo, Leslie Cruz,  Danilo de Guzman, Carrisa Mariz Manalo, Michael Ocampo, Rodolfo Posadas, Alexander Sta. Maria, Antonio Suva, Jr. and Anjelo Elton Yap and ABC President Mandaluyong City Darwin Fernandez.

Established in 2018, the PFP is pushing for a federal form of government and was one of the members of the UniTeam Alliance of Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte.

Other members of the alliance were Lakas-CMD, Hugpong ng Pagbabago, Partido ng Masang Pilipino and some guest candidates from other parties.