Old faces still dominating C. Luzon Cagayan politics

Certificates of candidacy filed last week revealed old faces are still dominating politics in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) and Central Luzon.

In Isabela, Gov. Grace Padaca filed her candidacy for re-election as governor, for a fourth showdown with the Dy clan since 2001, when she ran for Congress against Rep. Faustino Dy III for Isabela’s third district.

Now, both Padaca of the Liberal Party and Dy, who is identified with the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), but was nominated as official candidate of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, will be facing off for the second time, for the governorship, a post which the Dys had held for more than three decades until they lost it to Padaca in 2004.

Padaca, a former broadcast journalist who seized the governorship from then incumbent governor Faustino Dy Jr. in 2004 and went on for a second term against another Dy scion, former three-term governor Benjamin Dy, in 2007, formally filed her certificate of candidacy around 11 a.m. Monday, ending weeks of speculations about her political plans amid her party’s offer of a Senate slot for her.

For his part, Dy said his running for governor is “to bring back the glorious days of Isabela where there was ready medical and educational assistance, especially for our constituents in need.”

Padaca’s ally, outgoing second district Rep. Edwin Uy, who earlier declared to run for the governorship, had finally decided to slide down to the vice gubernatorial post in tandem with Padaca. The two have an existing political alliance since 2004.

Political observers here said the match up between Padaca, and Rep. Dy, now probably the most popular and charismatic Dy scion, would be undoubtedly the most exciting political battle to watch in the region.

Meanwhile, outgoing Rep. Manuel Mamba of the LP will challenge incumbent Gov. Alvaro Antonio of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD for the governorship of the country’s northernmost mainland Cagayan province.

A known ally of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Antonio and Mamba were former allies against then governor Edgar Lara of the NPC in 2007.

Nueva Vizcaya
In Nueva Vizcaya, the grand old patriarch of Isabela’s still politically-influential Albano clan is out to reclaim the House seat he had occupied for almost two decades before being appointed as chairman of the Energy Regulations Commission.

One of the few remaining politicians of the 1960s, Rodolfo Albano Jr. filed the other day his candidacy for congressman in a bid not only to replace his son Rep. Rodito, who is now in his final term, but also to maintain their hold in Isabela’s first congressional district.

At 75, Albano, who has had one of the longest terms in Congress and is probably the region’s oldest candidate, declared he could still run for the post and overcome the rigors of the campaign despite his age.

“I am strong enough to run for Congress,” said Albano, who also once served as assemblyman in the interim Batasang Pambansa during the Marcos era.

“I hope (my father’s) age will not be used as issue to malign his candidacy,” said one of Albano’s sons, Palace Assistant Secretary Tonypet Albano.

The elder Albano, also a former Minister of the Bello III of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, who withdrew from the administration party’s Senate ticket.

Albano is a member of the Natonalist People’s Coalition (NPC), whose national chairman is former governor Faustino Dy Jr.

Meanwhile, the Albanos and the Dys are still holding talks on who among their scions would be the one to run for Isabela governor against Gov. Grace Padaca or whoever she chooses to be her successor in case she decides to run for a House or Senate seat.

Further, Padaca, as of press time, has yet to make a final decision whether to run for reelection or gun for a Senate seat under the Liberal Party with the deadline of filing of candidacy tomorrow.

“If I were given the opportunity to choose, I would want a member of our family to run for governor,” said Albano, whose son Rodito had earlier declared to run for governor, only to withdraw from the race earlier this week in favor of outgoing third district Rep. Faustino Dy III.

Nueva Ecija
In Nueva Ecija, the mega showdown between the Umali and Joson political clans in Nueva Ecija is now officially on.

This, after the Josons, scions of the legendary patriarch, Eduardo Sr., filed Tuesday their respective certificates of candidacy for the various elective positions before the Commission on Elections office at the back of the old Capitol here – which they occupied for nearly 50 years.

Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson, seeking to avenge his 2001 congressional defeat at the hands of incumbent Gov. Aurelio Umali yesterday filed his COC along with his running mate Senior Board Member Rommel Padilla.

Joson came with his wife and daughter, along with the other Josons namely his father, former four-time governor Tomas III and mother May, comebacking former three-term congresswoman Josie Manuel-Joson, former vice governors Mariano Cristino and Eduardo IV, businessman Rey Joson and the various candidates of the Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija.

The Umalis – Aurelio, his wife third district Rep. Czarina and Emmanuel Antonio – filed their respective candidacies with the husband and wife tandem gunning for reelection and Emmanuel Antonio for board member in his sister-in-law’s turf.

Also filing their respective COCs were former three-term board members Jose Bernardo Yango and Aurora Aleta, reelectionist board members Eric Salazar, Juanito Juatco, Racquel Agapito and first-timers Nap Ocampo and Perry Hernandez

Pampanga
In Pampanga, few moments before the deadline of filing of certificates of candidacy (CoCs) on Tuesday, controversial priest-turned-governor Eddie “Among Ed” Panlilio formalized his intention to run for a reelection for Pampanga’s top position.

For a while, Panlilio had mulled of quitting politics when his term as governor expires.

But in a bid to block the possible “easy win” for President Arroyo’s close ally, former Senior Board Member Lilia “Baby” Pineda, Panlilio filed his CoC Tuesday at the provincial office of the Commission on Elections in this capital city.

“We were waiting for a possible candidate to run against Mrs. Pineda, but up to the last hours, nobody came to challenge her,” Panlilio said, in justifying his reelection bid.

Panlilio, the provincial chair of the Liberal Party (LP) in the province, said that since no “better alternative” has come to slug it out against Pineda, he has no choice but to field himself against the Lakas-Kampi-CMD gubernatorial bet.

“We were waiting for someone until 4 p.m., but nobody was coming,” Panlilio said.

The priest-turned-governor has finally ended his priesthood after three years of suspension from his priestly duties.

Panlilio, who likens himself with a missionary, said that he would want to make a sacrifice for his people.

The priest-turned-governor said that a group of concerned civic workers, including the Kasaup, a known supporter of the suspended priest, had been urging him to run.

As this developed, Pineda, Panlilio’s rival for the position, said that she welcomes the candidacy of the incumbent governor, saying that “this is a democratic country and everyone is given the right...”

“I give credit to Among Ed for solving corruption in Pampanga, but it is clear that he failed to advance the province because of his failure to get the support of other local officials,” Pineda said.
Pineda has vowed to unite the province and to provide more social services for the Kapampangans.

Pineda’s family is known in the second district of Pampanga, the congressional district which President Arroyo would like to represent, as a pro-poor clan whose house is always open for the poor and sick who seek help.

Bulacan
Meanwhile, winners and losers in the 2007 elections formed tandems for the two posts in Bulacan for the historic 2010 automated elections.

Former governor Josie Dela Cruz took a former Senior Board Member as her running mate as she is set to stage a comeback next year, while incumbent Vice-Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado took actor and former Senior Board Member Daniel Fernando as his running mate.

The Dela Cruz-Aniag tandem are running under the banner of the Partido Del Pilar, the local party that coalesced with the Liberal Party on Monday; while the Alvarado-Fernando tandem are running under the administration’s Lakas-Kampi-CMD party banner.

Both tandems had not formalized their candidacies yet, as both plan to submit their certificates of candidacy at the provincial office of the Commission on Elections here on Monday or Tuesday.
This early, both tandems believe that they will win in the 2010 automated elections, citing the winning records of Dela Cruz and Alvarado.

Despite no clear opponent, Mayor Elmer Codilla, and his running mate vice Mayor Macario Lumangtad, and their complete slate for councilors have formally submitted their COCs at the local Comelec office here Friday.

Codilla was accompanied by his parents, outgoing 4th District of Leyte Rep. Eufrocino, mother Maria, sisters Elizabeth, and Maria Emily and his wife Rowena and several supporters.

Codilla said their slate for councilors has two new faces after two of his incumbent lineup completed three terms and the other became an opposition. He said that outgoing Councilor Fer¬nando Aseo is replaced by his brother Lorenzo, the incumbent chairman of Barangay Tagaytay. Former ally Amelita Mangco, the only female in their former slate, now with the opposition is being replaced by Ann Villar, wife of the acting municipal administrator.

Quezon Province
Meanwhile, Quezon political candidates filed their COCs for the 2010 elections but no tension occurred among political rivals.

Quezon lawmaker Danilo Suarez filed his COC, together with his Board Members Lourdes de Luna-Pasatiempo and Ding Villena for Lakas-Kampi.

Suarez is on his second term in the House of the Representatives.

His son David (Jayjay) ran previously in the gubernatorial race in 2007 but lost to incumbent Governor Rafael Nantes.

Still in Quezon province, former governor Eduardo Rodriguez filed his COC Tuesday at the provincial Comelec for representative of the third district of Quezon province.

Rodriguez was nominated by the LP together with his alliance candidates Quezon Gov. Rafael Nantes, Vice Gov. Kelly Portes, fourth district Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada, and some political aspirants for the said party.

Rodriguez, known as approachable, humble and considerate during his incumbency as Que¬zon governor from 1988 to 1998, had accomplished more infrastructure projects as well as negotiating the two electric power plants in the province. Team Energy in Pagbilao, formerly Mirant and Quezon Power Limited Inc. in Mauban, Quezon.