Lakas in quandary over 2 Bulacan vice gubernatorial bets

MALOLOS CITY — Supporters of the administration party in this province are wrestling with a problem not of their own making: the Lakas-Chrisitan Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) has two official candidates for vice governor.

Locked in the fight for the No. 2 elective post in the provincial government are incumbent Vice Gov. Aurelio Plamenco and Raymond Pagdanganan, 25, son of Agrarian Reform Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan.

For the third time since 1998, Gov. Josefina dela Cruz has again chosen Plamenco as her vice gubernatorial mate. "We are the official candidates because of the equity of the incumbent rule," the provincial chief executive said.

The young Pagdanganan, on the other hand, announced when he filed his certificate of candidacy last Jan. 5 that he is the official candidate for vice governor of the Lakas-CMD.

At the awarding rites for exemplary governance for local government executives last week, the governor expressed sadness that because of the election season, she is compelled to battle with some colleagues, including some in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan because they are affiliated with other political parties.

In the vice gubernatorial race, Plamenco is banking on his performance while the young Pagdanganan is heavily relying on the record of his father as a 12-year governor of Bulacan.

Provincial leaders warned yesterday that the continuing rift between Pagdanganan and De la Cruz has already affected the popularity of President Arroyo in the province.

Administration party member Ernest Mendoza said that a survey among Bulacan residents shows that the fight between the governor and the DAR secretary has been pulling down Mrs. Arroyo"s popularity.

Based on an independent local poll survey, movie actor Fernando Poe Jr. was way ahead of Mrs. Arroyo in Bulacan.

"This only shows that the opposition, particularly Poe, is the one benefitting in the Obet-Josie feud," Lakas-CMD members said.