Espinos’ ally BM Sison defects to Celeste’s camp

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

A major blow struck the camp of a marquee political family in the huge Pangasinan province when a hardcore ally jumped ship to a rival because he was not anointed to run for a congressional seat.

Exiting Board Member Raul Sison, the point man of Governor Amado “Pogi” I. Espino, III in the Second District, abandoned him and his congressman father with the same namesake after feeling being betrayed for his congressional ambition in the second district of the province.

NEW ALLIANCE - Some personalities in Pangasinan’s politics are all smiles after Board Member Raul Sison (extreme right) deserted Pangasinan Governor Amado “Pogi” Espino, III and his father and namesake Fifth District Congressman Amado. Sison joined the camp of Alaminos City Mayor Arthur Celeste (extreme left) for the latter gubernatorial run in the May 2019 election. In photo are Presidential Adviser in Northern Luzon Raul Lambino (2^nd from right), former Pangasinan Governor Victor Agbayani, Binmaley former councilor Anong Alipio and another ex-loyalist of the Espinos retired police colonel Paterno Orduna (2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th from left, respectively).

“Inaasahan niya siya ang kandidato e siningit iyong anak ni (former) governor Espino, ayon nagalit at sumanib sa puwersa ni mayor kakalabanin anak ni (former) gob (Sison thought he was the anointed by former governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. to run for congressional seat in the next year’s election but the latter changed heart and instead endorsed his son),” a loyalist of Alaminos City Mayor Art Celeste told this newspaper after sending a photo of Sison and Celeste, a gubernatorial bet, Sunday night where the duo shook hands in a restaurant somewhere in Manila.

On the now circulated online photo, Presidential Adviser in Northern Luzon Raul Lambino held the right hands of the smiling Celeste and Sison.

With them were former Pangasinan Governor Victor Agbayani, Binmaley former councilor Anong Alipio, and another ex-loyalist of the Espinos retired police colonel Paterno Orduna who were noticeably elated with the new collaboration in the eight towns' district known as the bailiwick of the Espinos because of the alliances of the Orduna brothers and Sison in the past.

Lambino, with the imprimatur from the presidential palace, was known to persuade Celeste to challenge the hegemony of the Espinos in Pangasinan.

“Mga leaders ng second district iyan. Lalabanan ni Raul Sison anak ni (ex) gob na tatakbo din congressman. Nasa ticket Mayor Art si Raul. Raul Sison was governor Espino numero uno operator sa second district (They are leaders of the Second Congressional District. Raul Sison will clash with the son of former governor Espino for the congressional seat. Raul is now under the ticket of Mayor Art for the gubernatorial race. Raul Sison was the Espinos’ No. 1 political operator in the second district),’ the source, who asked for anonymity, explained the new realignment more than a week before the filling of candidacy of the bets in October 11 to 17 this year.

Sison, a seasoned politician of the District, will be pitted with Bugallon Mayor Jumel Espino in an election that political kibitzers believed will shore up the political stocks of the Celeste camp as the Espinos were handicapped because of the dichotomy caused by Sison’s defection.

The district is to be vacated by exiting congressman Leopoldo Bataoil who announced to reporters that he will be challenging Lingayen Mayor Josefina ”Iday” Castaneda on the May 13, 2019 poll.

With Sison, the Ordunas and Agbayani, a former congressman of the Second District, collaborating for the victory of Celeste in the district, the new alliance was considered by political spectators as “made in heaven”.

In case the tandem of Celeste for governor and outgoing Six District Congresswoman Marlyn Primicias – Agabas for vice governor will not materialize, the source said Celeste can enlist Agbayani for the vice governorship in case Primicias will join Governor Pogi Espino or she runs for the mayoralty of Tayug, Pangasinan.

“The problem however the family of Agbayani was reluctant that he throws his hat anew for the political arena,” the source cited.

He said Agbayani's family could turn 180 - degree in case the patrons of Celeste in “Imperial” Manila give reasonable campaign funds to the former governor to take a crack in the second highest office in the province.

Agbayani and his wife Jamie were beaten by the older Espino in a gubernatorial contest that showed the  ‘genius” of the former decorated police officer, an alumnus of the Philippine Military Academy, in the mastery of the Labyrinth of the politics of the three cities and forty four towns’ province.  

“With Agbayani under Celeste, the Espino camp will be seeing a down-in-the- wire fight even they got Agabas on the bow,” the source added in Tagalog.