Vice Gov. Herminio Aquino, who chairs the opposition party in the province, presided over the closed-door meeting which was attended by majority of the 18 mayors of Tarlac, including their councilors, and most of the provincial board members.
Leading the mayors in attendance was Moncada Mayor Estelita Aquino, president of the Tarlac Mayors’ League, which is affiliated with the local Liberal Party-Kampi coalition led by Mrs. Aquino’s only son, Tarlac Rep. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.
The political gathering was the biggest so far held in this home-province of Mrs. Aquino since calls for President Estrada to resign from office snowballed due to the jueteng exposé of Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson.
The meeting was triggered by Tarlac City Mayor Gelacio Manalang’s own exposé that former Tarlac Rep. Jose "Peping" Cojuangco Jr. allegedly once operated the illegal numbers game.
Manalang also named Vice Gov. Aquino in his exposé, alleging that the latter operated jueteng in the third congressional district of the province, which consists of the towns of Concepcion, La Paz, Capas and Bamban.
The vice governor was congressman in the third district for three consecutive terms before he was elected to the provincial post in 1998. He is an ally of Peping Cojuangco and an uncle of Mrs. Aquino’s martyred husband, former Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.
Last Friday, Aquino vehemently denied Manalang’s allegations in a telephone interview, saying that the mayor’s "motive is suspect. It may be monetary or otherwise."
"There could be something political behind what Mayor Manalang did," he said.
"He is already at the end of the road," added Aquino, saying that Manalang is now on his third and last term, and is widely believed to be courting Malacañang’s endorsement for his bid to run for governor.
Local observers said Manalang’s exposé has "drawn the political battlelines."
"What the mayor did has polarized Tarlac politicians into pro-Cory and pro-Erap camps," said local political analyst Amante Reyes.
According to Reyes, it would not only be Lakas which would be conducting a loyalty check among its members, but also the other political blocs.
The pro-Estrada camp, led by Gov. Jose Yap and Rep. Gilbert Teodoro Jr. — one of the so-called "Bright Boys" of the President who is a nephew of former Marcos crony Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr., estranged cousin of Mrs. Aquino — conducted its own loyalty check at Malacañang last week.
Meanwhile, city officials have kept their distance from Manalang’s allegations that jueteng was prevalent in the province during the term of Mrs. Aquino and that he (Manalang) collected jueteng protection money from a top executive of Hacienda Luisita.
One official, who requested anonymity, said, "This is very disappointing. Mayor (Manalang) has placed us all in jeopardy. He has not only picked up a fight with Cong. Peping, but tried to smear the reputation of (Mrs. Aquino) who has an immaculate image not only in the country but also in the international community."