2 Pangasinan pols both claim getting Lakas nomination for governor

ASINGAN, Pangasinan — Who will give way to whom? This is now the question the administration party Lakas-NUCD has to resolve regarding the nomination of re-electionist Gov. Victor Agbayani and former governor Rafael Colet for the gubernatorial race.

Colet, in a statement, said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has approved the endorsement of former President Fidel Ramos for him to be the official gubernatorial bet of Lakas and the People Power Coalition.

Colet, who served as governor from 1988 to 1992, said Executive Secretary Renato de Villa relayed the President’s decision in a telephone call to him last Thursday morning.

Colet quoted De Villa as saying that Mrs. Arroyo reached the decision during a dinner meeting with Vice President and Lakas-NUCD president Teofisto Guingona, Finance Secretary Alberto Romulo and heads of the political parties belonging to the coalition.

Agbayani, however, dismissed Colet’s Lakas nomination as "speculation," saying he has received and accepted his nomination as the party’s gubernatorial candidate.

"I don’t see how the party can issue another nomination to another person or group," Agbayani told reporters after he delivered his state-of-the-province address last Friday.

He said he had wanted to remain partyless in his re-election bid, but explained that majority of municipal and district leaders in Pangasinan are now with Lakas.

"As a good leader, I must also listen to my followers and so I accepted the nomination of Lakas and affiliated with the party," he said.

Agbayani ran as an independent in the 1998 polls and won handily over former Sen. Leticia Ramos-Shahani, Ramos’ sister.

Colet admitted that slugging it out with Agbayani in the gubernatorial race will be an "uphill battle," but expressed confidence that "we shall prevail."

Ramos and Colet hail from this town, and De Villa is Colet’s balae because the former governor’s son Jack is married to De Villa’s daughter IC.

Agbayani said he does not foresee any problem with his Lakas nomination despite the coalition’s support for Colet. "Let us wait if it will really be that way," he said.

Aside from Agbayani and Colet, second district Rep. Teodoro Cruz is joining the gubernatorial fray.

Garcia runs for Dagupan mayor

Meanwhile, in Dagupan City, former Manila Times publisher Ermin Garcia Jr. filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for the city’s mayoral post last Friday, saying he wants to give Dagupeños "an alternative."

"I offer good governance as an alternative to traditional politics controlled by political dynasties, whose performance in governance are traditionally marked by graft, corruption, patronage and inefficiency," said Garcia, publisher of The Sunday Punch, a local paper.

Garcia, son of slain newsman Ermin Garcia Sr., said he wants Dagupeños to live in a clean and healthy environment, in peace and harmony, enjoy vast opportunities for economic and academic advancement, and be governed by men of integrity.

Garcia, who will run as an independent, filed his COC more than a hour after fourth district Rep. Benjamin Lim, accompanied by former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and Dagupan Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr., lodged his own COC for the mayorship.

Lim withdrew his re-election bid and decided to run for Dagupan mayor instead, to give way to De Venecia who wants to regain the speakership.

Others who have long announced their plans to join the mayoralty race are Vice Mayor Teodoro Manaois III, former Baguio City mayor Jun Labo and barangay chairman Fred Quinto.

Manaois, Labo and Quinto earlier had thrown their support behind Lim’s re-election plan, and are now dismayed by his decision to slug it out with them for the mayorship. — With Cesar Ramirez