Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte confirmed in a statement that Nilo “Small” Abellera Jr. and Councilor Pamela Librado-Morata are no longer part of the official City Council slate of Hugpong Ng Pagbabago-Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod (HNP-HTL) this coming 2022 local elections as the party believes that their ideals are not in line with the party’s vision.
On November 16, 2021, HTL, a local Davao City-based political organization founded by then-mayor President Rodrigo Duterte, through Elijah Manuel Pepito, legal counsel for HTL, issued a resolution withdrawing the Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) of Librado-Morata thus declaring her as an independent candidate for the upcoming national and local elections on May 9, 2022.
The same happened to Abellera’s CONA, which was withdrawn by the HNP.
The vice mayor wished them well in their future endeavors.
Meanwhile, Councilor Pamela Librado-Morata believed that her removal from the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod (HTL) is supposedly due to her alleged links with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
Librado-Morata is a staunch supporter of the progressive groups in Davao City.
LIBRADO-MORATA TO WITHDRAW CANDIDACY
In her statement issued on November 17, 2021, she expressed disappointment as the withdrawal was reached unilaterally, without any attempt to consult her, and neither was she allowed to defend herself against such baseless and malicious accusations.
She said her office has yet to personally receive the resolution to withdraw her nomination.
“For the record, my family shall and will always stand by the marginalized and oppressed against all odds,” she said.
Librado-Morata believed that her removal was decided following messages of an assessment purportedly prepared by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) identifying her as a GABRIELA personality and that she participated in the elections to support the establishment of migrant desks in Davao City’s first district purportedly used as front organizations.
She said that she is now planning to withdraw from the local elections next year and might file the said withdrawal within the week.
“Rest assured that I will continue to discharge the functions of my office until the end of my term. My decision is a result of a consensus that while we have established our name and effectively infused our principle-based politics, the existing political realities are such that political parties dominate and could frustrate the will and voice of the majority,” she said.
Librado-Morata cited the progressive, pro-people brand of politics espoused by her late father, labor leader Nonoy Librado, who became councilor, and her sisters in the City Council Atty. Angela Librado-Trinidad and Atty. Leah Librado-Yap amplified various issues affecting marginalized sectors, standing on various issues, and provided innovative and people-oriented legislation and programs, such as the establishment of the first “Lamayan ng Bayan”, the mothers’ class, women’s lying-in clinic; anti-trafficking ordinance, no demolition policy without relocation with complete basic facilities, the juvenile justice intervention mechanism, the first-ever Women’s Development Code and introduced necessary amendments to the Children’s Welfare Code of Davao City.
“Bannering the Librado brand of politics, I have always stood my ground against demolition, martial law, the Anti-Terror Bill, among others, even if it meant that I ran against the majority opinion in the council. Though members of the SP and I didn’t see eye to eye on all issues, the discussion was principled. I was open to the HNP, the HTL, my fellow councilors, and the people of Davao about my plans, views, and projects. I hid behind no one, and I am proud to say that I accord anyone, regardless of differing principles, respect, and decency. This is one of the core lessons my father, labor leader Nonoy Librado, taught me,” she said.
Some of the notable legislation in the Davao City Sangguniang Panlungsod was also authored by her sisters during their time highlighted the barangay-based justice system, conflict resolution, juvenile welfare, women’s development. This included comprehensive services for reproductive health, victims of trafficking and crisis intervention, children’s rights and welfare, gender sensitivity, shelter and housing, and codification of existing city ordinances.
“These programs effectively demolish the bankrupt notion that our office and our brand of politics offer no alternatives and concrete solutions to the pressing and urgent concerns of the people of Davao City,” she said.
She also mentioned that her first year as a city councilor was a challenge as she was treated as a pariah for speaking about the need to investigate the closure of Lumad schools in Davao City,w which resulted in the removal of her office’s Annual Development Fund (ADF) in 2019.
“Despite this, I made no complaints and continued with my work. I remained resolute in continuing with community-based programs such as organic urban gardening, health and vaccine education, mobile community kitchen, and several programs that help empower the community. The lack of resources will never be an excuse to desist from our mandate to serve the people of Davao. Instead, this situation allowed us to showcase that plans and programs could be effectively implemented with all stakeholders’ participation, involvement, and empowerment,” she said.
Librado-Morata expressed her gratitude to the people of Davao for their continued support and vowed to continue to work towards her advocacies even after her term.
On the other hand, Abellera was invited to the Senate probe for his alleged participation in drug smuggling in 2017.
