Chavit Singson joins NPC but says he has no plans to run for nat'l post

Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Mayor Chavit Singson on Saturday formally joined the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC).

Singson took his oath before NPC chair and Senate President Vicente Sotto III, based on tweets from GMA News' Mav Gonzales.

"In the past election, wala kaming national party. Local party ginagamit namin. Napansin ko nga palipat-lipat lahat. Ang nakita kong pinaka stable is NPC," said Singson.

Singson, however, clarified he has no plans to run for any national post and might run for re-election in the 2022 elections. Singson is a former congressman and governor of Ilocos Sur. He ran for the Senate but lost in 2007.

LOOK: Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Mayor Chavit Singson takes his oath as a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition Party with Senate President @sotto_tito. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/nUmW3WoEly

— Mav Gonzales (@mavgonzales) June 19, 2021

Sotto welcomes Singson

In a radio interview, Senate President and NPC chairman Vicente Sotto III said he welcomed Singson's willingness to join their party. 

"Hindi siya lumipat pero ang mga local parties kasi ang hawak ni Gov. Singson. Gusto niya ng 'national' party kaya nung minsan na nag-uusap kami, sabi ko, kami naman eh welcome ka. Ngayon that was about two or three months ago yan," Sotto told DWIZ on Saturday.

(He did not move to another party, he belonged to a lot of local parties. He wants to belong to a national party so sometimes party so when I asked him, I told him that he is welcome. That was about two or three months ago.)

On the other hand, Sotto said there is a big possibility that Singson, head of League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), may ask other mayors to join the NPC.

"Malaking posibilidad. Pero sa ngayon kasi, marami na rin talaga kaming mayor na member eh ng NPC. From Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao marami talagang NPC," said Sotto, when asked if Singson will recruit other mayors to have an alliance with NPC.

(There is a big possibility. But now we have a lot of mayors who are a member of NPC. From Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, there are a lot of NPC members.) —MDM/LBG, GMA News