Lakas denies courting Toro

Makati City Vice Mayor Edu Manzano denied yesterday that the Lakas party tried to lure politician Nemesio "Toro" Yabut III away from the PDP-Laban party of Jejomar Binay.

In an interview, Manzano explained that he has no knowledge of the reported attempt by his party, Lakas, to get back Yabut using an appointment to a government position as a come on.

"I have never spoken to Yabut nor am I aware if anyone from Lakas has done so," Manzano said.

Manzano, who is running for mayor against Binay in the May elections, was reacting to the claims of Yabut about the offer of Lakas to him.

Yabut said that he was personally encouraged by the Lakas camp to drop his support for the PDP-Laban ticket in Makati City in exchange for an appointment as undersecretary of tourism.

However, Yabut noted that he declined the offer to jump-ship as he had already given his commitment to serve as the campaign manager of vice-mayoral candidate Ernesto Mercado under the PDP-Laban ticket.

Councilor Robert Dean Barbers, Lakas chairperson in Makati, also denied the claims of Yabut. But Barbers noted that Lakas is still willing to welcome Yabut back because of the party’s former relations with him.

He recalled that Lakas threw its full support for the campaign of Yabut in 1998, particularly when there were protests against the poll results.

"I’m still open for him to come back and be the campaign manager of the entire Lakas ticket. We consider him a prodigal son," Barbers said. – Marvin Sy