Cojuangco to run for governor – So

Mortz C. Ortigoza

ROSALES, Pangasinan – Former congressman Mark Cojuangco told his number one political adviser that he will be filling his candidacy for the governorship of the mammoth Pangasinan province this coming October.

October 1 to 5 are the official dates all over the Philippines for the filling of candidacy of all bets from senators to the town’s council members for next year’s middle term election.

“Gusto niyang tumakbo. Sinabi niya na he is planning to run. At least ngayon galing sa kanya. Sinabi niya na interesado na talaga siyang tumakbo sa governorship," said by Engineer Rosendo So who heads the powerful farmer's groups Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) and Abono Party-List.

BATTLE ROYALE - Former Congressman Mark O. Cojuangco (Left) had told
a political confidant that he will challenge Pangasinan Governor
Amado Espino, III for the Capitol's top post on next year's election.

Cojuangco, a three terms congressman, told So his moist eye for the highest post of the three cities and 44 towns’ province when they met last month somewhere in Pangasinan.

In the 2016 election, a reluctant Cojuangco was prodded by former Urdaneta City Mayor and Ambassador Amadito Perez, Jr. to run against the present governor Amado “Pogi” Espino III.

When asked if on the 2019 poll, Cojuangco’s father mogul Eduardo “Danding’ Cojuangco will help bankroll the former aspiration, So in his signature chuckle said: “Siyempre naman maski paano pag gusto ng anak e kagaya ni Sarah Duterte gustong tumakbo walang magawa si Digong, di ba?”

Danding is the chairman of Forbes 2000’s San Miguel Corporation – a multi-billion dollars behemoth in Asia.

The national chairman of the powerful farmers group cited that the Perezes will be probably commissioning one of them to challenge the reelection of 5th District Congressman Amado T. Espino, Jr. in the May13, 2019 poll.

“Most probably,” the SINAG chief referred to the Perezes who are the nemesis of the Espinos in the 5th Congressional District.

The other member of the illustrious Perez family is outgoing Urdaneta City Mayor Amadeo “Bobom” Gregorio Perez IV.

Some sectors are also dangling the name of the young and outgoing Binalonan Mayor Ramon “Monmon” Guico III as a congressional material in the one city and eight town’s district in Eastern Pangasinan.

For the past months, the grapevine went abuzz that the two Espinos will swap positions by running for the governorship and the congressional office.

So said that presently they do not have a vice governorship bet to tandem with the former solon.

“Wala pa, pero madami naman mas mabilis iyong vice governor”.

Presently the names of exiting congressmen Leopoldo Bataoil and Marlyn Primicias Agabas and outgoing Board Member Generoso “Jun” Tulagan, Jr. who will run for the second highest position in Pangasinan have been a topic among political kibitzers.

The three are supporters of the Espinos but the fluidity of politics will make a possibility that one of them will be a probable slate of Cojuangco.

A Pangasinan mayor, who asked for anonymity, said that Cojuangco will soon gather his supporters.

Cojuangco was seen lately gracing the town fiesta of Rosales town.

He told the crowd in that soiree that he will pay them back on the victory they gave him despite losing the race in the May 2016 poll.

Another source said that the former solon had learned a hard political lesson when he lost that gubernatorial bout.

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