DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 01 October) — City Councilor Diosdado Mahipus Jr. chided fellow Councilor Augusto Javi Campos III for alleged party disloyalty after a photograph showed the latter with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the “Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas” convention in Pasay City last September 26.
Mahipus and Campos both belong to the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod (HTL), a local political party founded by then mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who became the country’s first and only Mindanawon president from 2016 to 2022.
During the convention, Marcos, chair of the ruling Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), presented their Senate slate for the May 12, 2025 midterm national elections.
In a photo from the Presidential Communications Office last September 26, Campos can be seen together with Marcos, PFP stalwarts and senatorial aspirants former Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao and reelectionist Senator Francis Tolentino.
In his privilege speech Tuesday morning, Mahipus said that Campos must explain and inform their party the story behind the photograph with Marcos, “to remove doubts and to clear air.”
Mahipus noted the photo of Campos with Marcos needs clarification since it now depicts him “belonging to the other side of the political fence.”
“We have seen the photograph of our partymate [Campos] and colleague in the city council attending the political activity of the other side of the political fence, and in fairness to him, because speculations have been raised as a disloyalty to the party, it may be fair [to have him clarify] because I know our colleague, Honorable Campos, is level-headed and firm, and rational,” Mahipus said in his speech.
Campos did not air his side after the speech of Mahipus, and Majority Floor Leader Jesus Zozobrado promptly called to adjourn the session.
In a media interview, Campos said he will answer Mahipus “through a press conference.”
But Campos expressed his gratitude for serving as a city councilor under Duterte’s HTL party.
Councilor Bernard Al-ag, a former HTL member, said Mahipus’ privilege speech was “inappropriate and should be raised within their party.”
“It is a party issue… Kung naa’y problema sa partido (If there’s a problem within the party), I think they have to talk among themselves,” Al-ag, who also served as former acting city vice mayor under HTL, told reporters at the sidelines of the city council session.
HTL member Vice Mayor J. Melchor Quitain, city council presiding officer, said he “cannot anticipate what would happen next” after Mahipus raised the matter before the body.
Quitain added that while he holds his loyalty with the Dutertes and the HTL, he said the “political reality is that some people change sides.”
“I’m just happy and proud that I am part of the party of the former president. Siguro that’s the reality of it. This is politics, there will be some changes. But for me, I will not be swayed for any reason to change,” he said.
In Philippine politics, it is not uncommon for politicians to switch sides, often called “balimbing,” especially to the party in power.
Today, October 1, Tuesday, is the first day of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for the 2025 midterm national and local elections, and will end on October 8.
The reelectionist city councilors, mostly from HTL, have not filed their COCs yet.
Earlier during the session, the city councilors agreed that they will not hold an assembly on October 8, to give way for the last day of COC filing. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
