Mayor Sonny Belmonte bolts Lakas and joins LP

As what I wrote a few entries ago, Quezon City Mayor and Lakas stalwart Sonny Belmonte will bolt his party and join Senator Noynoy Aquino and the Liberals. Belmonte is expected to do that out of deference to Noynoy’s mother, Cory, who was instrumental in reviving the public service career of Belmonte. Belmonte, if you remember, was Cory’s appointed pension fund administrator.

Belmonte’s influence in Quezon City is pervasive. He remains as the biggest and strongest political force in the vote-rich city (the biggest in the country). Belmonte is an asset. With him joining the Liberals are Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista and Belmonte’s daughter, Joy.

With Manila (Mayor Alfredo Lim is aligned with the LP) and Quezon City under the Liberal Party, the Liberals are in the best position to clinch the 2010 elections.

This would surely hurt the administration party Lakas-KAMPI CMD. Other desertions are underway.