De la Cruz dumps mayoral candidate; Maganto allies with gov’s rival

MALOLOS CITY — It’s now a merry-go-round in Bulacan politics in the run-up to the May 10 elections.

This, after a disgusted Gov. Josefina de la Cruz dumped Dr. Matilde Legaspi, the Lakas-CMD mayoral candidate in Norzagaray town, in apparent retaliation for the latter’s endorsement of Raymond Pagdanganan, who is challenging Vice Gov. Aurelio Plamenco, her running mate.

Both De la Cruz and Plamenco are seeking a third and last term.

To dramatize her disappointment, De la Cruz threw her support behind Legaspi’s rival, Boy Gener, of the Aksyon Demokratiko.

Meanwhile, retired police general Romeo Maganto, who replaced his son Rommel as the gubernatorial candidate of the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP), has coalesced with Pagdanganan, son of former governor, now Tourism Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan.

In a press conference at the Paradise Resort here yesterday, Maganto said his alliance with the young Pagdanganan will boost their respective candidacies.

Pagdanganan has claimed that he is the Lakas-CMD’s official vice gubernatorial bet, which De la Cruz and other provincial party leaders have debunked.

"There is no other Lakas-CMD candidate for vice governor other than Vice Gov. Plamenco," De la Cruz has repeatedly said.

De la Cruz, who has emphasized that she and Plamenco enjoy the "equity of the incumbent," was reportedly hurt when some Lakas-CMD leaders ignored party rules in nominating Pagdanganan.

Maganto said he is optimistic that he can get the support of 60 percent of the more than one million registered voters in the province.

Maganto had served as police chief in the towns of Bocaue, Bustos and Marilao and San Jose del Monte City.