Mark and Tim

The reported teaming up of fifth district Rep. Mark Cojuangco and Tim Orbos in next year’s gubernatorial race seems to be gaining support from local political leaders in the province. From what we have gathered, a group of incumbent politicians are already pushing for the support of the tandem by beginning to organize in the grassroots to ensure their victory against Gov. Victor Agbayani and Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino, who will also probably team up to defend their bid for their third and final term.

But even with this development, speculations that Mark will not run for governor still persist. Many, especially politicians, are of the opinion that Mark will not run for governor because Victor has already openly declared his support to the presidential bid of Mark’s father, business tycoon Danding Cojuangco. And so did all the mayors in the province.

But then again, this is politics, and as they say, in politics, there are “no permanent friends, only permanent interests.”

Objectively, I believe that Mark and Tim will make a good team because they come from the east and the west. They are also easy to sell to the people, considering that they are both from big political families, who have proven track record in public service. They are both young and self-driven and certainly, they can make things happen for a better Pangasinan.

I have been informed that the Urduja House is unfazed by this political development. An insider told me that Victor believes that he is invincible, that anybody who will dare face him will surely lose, like what happened to his opponents in his past gubernatorial fights. Besides, Victor is now reportedly more prepared to run in an election because he has apparently been able to put up an election arsenal, where he can easily muster “enough cash at any given time” for his last gubernatorial bid.

Then, of course, we were also informed that his PR office, the Provincial Information Office, has already prepared advertorials guaranteed to project Victor’s visions and actions in the last six years and we will be hearing and seeing all these in the next few days in local radio and television.

There is only one problem: news reports have mentioned Victor’s provincial information officer, Ruel Camba, as a “jueteng bagman” and that these jueteng money are regularly distributed to some members of the local media to buy their silence in the unabated proliferation of the illegal numbers game in the province and most likely, to shield the provincial government from negative publicity.

We can only wonder why Kuya Ruel has chosen to be silent about the issue until now.

*****

It is a sweet victory for Nestor Pulido, whose victory as board member in the province’s first district has been affirmed by the Commission on Elections en banc last September 11. He won by only 73 votes.

I am happy for Manong Nestor. Certainly, when he finally sits in the provincial board, he will make a big difference. Manong Nestor and I share many experiences and interests. He is a journalist, just like us and a street parliamentarian detained by Marcos when Martial Law was declared.

Congratulations, Manong.

ENDNOTES: In Windows last Sunday, I inadvertently missed the name of former Board Member Alfonso Bince as among the local prime movers in the presidential bid of former Sen. Raul Roco. I sincerely apologize for it. I hope this will disabuse the minds of those who may have perceived that I have “conveniently and intentionally” deleted his name from among the local political leaders supportive of Roco’s bid.

QUOTE: “It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.” --Seneca