By Mortz C. Ortigoza
DAGUPAN
CITY – Two high elected politicians of Pangasinan province are relatives to powerful national officials.
Binmaley Mayor Pete Abalos Merrera and San Fabian Vice Mayor Danny Batrina Agbayani are
cousins to Department of Interior & Local Government Secretary Benjamin
“Benjur” Abalos, Jr. and Presidential sister and Senator Imee Marcos,
respectively.
Merrera
“Kasi magpinsan ang mother ko at father niya (because my mother and his father are cousin),” the first term Mayor of the first class coastal town told Northern Watch Newspaper.
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KIN TO
POWERFUL POLITICOS. Binmaley
Mayor Pete Merrera (left) and San Fabian Vice Mayor Danny Agbayani.
DILG is dubbed as one of the two most powerful departments of the national
government because it controls the Bureau
of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Local Government
Academy, National Police Commission, National Youth Commission, Philippine
National Police, Philippine Public Safety College and others.
Abalos, he said, told the crowd, the regional and provincial public officials during his town’s 433rd Foundation and Sigay Festival 2023 that he is the cousin of the mayor.
Abalos and his namesake father who is the former Commission on Election Chief and present Mayor of Mandaluyong City graced the festivity where famous Manila pop music group Lemon & Orange entertained the people.
He cited how DILG Region-1 Director Agnes de Leon appealed to him for Secretary
Abalos to grace the fêting of the regional Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ADAC) Performance Audit on some towns in Pangasinan who qualified for
it to be held in San Fernando City, La Union.
“Sabi niya Mayor kausapin si
Secretary na pumunta naman doon. Kinausap ko siya”.
Abalos acquiesced while the mayor remained at the sideline when the
Secretary asked his executive assistant to call him so he can join near him at
the presidential table.
“Tapos hindi ko alam na naka barong
silang lahat (mayors) ako naka red na collar shirt doon. Sabi ko nakabarong
kayong lahat paano ako pupunta doon sa harap. Huwag na kako umupo na ako tapos
iyong executive assistant (sabi) pinatawag kayo ni Secretary e pinuntahan ko na
rin siya tapos nagyakapan kaming dalawa”.
The conversation of Merrera with this writer was interrupted when he
called on his mobile phone his “Tito Ben” – the father of the Secretary.
Merrera said that the Mayor of Mandaluyong could not attend the February
21 to 23 General Assembly of the League of the
Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) held at the Manila Hotel in
Metro Manila.
He said that he is not bragging about his kinship with the Secretary but
he was seeing the latter when they were teenagers.
Agbayani
Former San Fabian's nine-year Mayor and the incumbent Vice Mayor
Agbayani cited to this newspaper that presidential sister Senator Imee Marcos
introduced him to the crowd when he was with the regional and provincial
luminaries when the senator led the distribution of the Department of Social Welfare and Development's cash
assistance to 1,000 residents identified as Individuals in Crisis Situation.
“Pag upo sa itaas umupo sila sina
Gob (Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico, III), Vice Gov. (Mark Lambino) si PD
(Pangasinan Provincial Director Col. Jeff Fanged) at si RD (Police Regional
Director Brig. Gen. John Chua) ngayon sa dulo ako katabi ko si Gov. Ni
introduce si Mayora (his wife Mayor Marlyn) ni (Senator) Imee ako naman sabi
niya: Iyong ex-mayor ninyo noon na vice mayor ninyo ngayon sabi niya import
from Ilocos Norte kamag-anak ko pa ito hahahaha ang linaw. At saka saan pa
kayo? Sabi niya Mayor Danny Agbayani iyan!” he laughed while quoting the lady solon.
He said the Governor and the Police Regional Director Brig. Gen. Chua asked him if indeed the Marcoses are his cousin.
“Kasinsin mo gayam si Marcos
nga Ilocos? (So the Marcos of Ilocos are really your cousin?),” Chua inquired to him in Ilocano after the
event.
“Yes Sir!” he narrated to this
newspaper chuckling.
Agbayani said Chua hailed from Fort Ilocandia.
Because of his relationship with Marcos the latter interceded for multi-million pesos’ concrete bridge in the Department of Public Works & Highway that was constructed in the northern part of his town.
Agbayani said that even National Irrigation Administration Administrator Eddie G. Guillen - a former mayor in Ilocos Norte - visited him at his house and inquired about
projects needed in the province to be funded by the agency.
“Sabihan ang mga kaibigang
mga mayors mag request ng mga resolutions kargahan natin”.
He said the NIA Adminstrator allowed his request not to reassign to
other region NIA Regional Manager Dennis de Vera in the reshuffling of the
managers of the agency.
Guillen replaced Benny Antiporda after the Ombudsman suspended him
because of a criminal case.
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