If the Liberal Party will have incumbent Mayor Alfredo Lim as candidate and the United Opposition has Environment Secretary Lito Atienza as its bet, the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) will field former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Avelino Razon against the two heavyweight candidates in next year’s Manila mayoralty race.

NPC spokesman Valenzuela Rep. Rex Gatchalian said that Razon has taken his oath as the newest member of the political party founded by industrialist Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr.

Razon’s oath-taking serves as a “first major step towards his goal of winning the Manila mayoral race next year,” Gatchalian said in a statement.

Gatchalian said the decision of Razon to join the NPC demonstrates the kind of respect and trust that other politicians have for the party, which will have Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero as standard-bearer in the 2010 presidential elections. (Edmer F. Panesa)