Powerful Politico Explains How Aguila Defeated the Espinos

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – “The Eagle has landed,” exiting Bayambang Billionaire - Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao quipped in his opening statement to reporters the immortal phrase of American astronaut Neil Armstrong when it landed on the moon’s Sea of Tranquility his Apollo 11 lunar module named “Eagle.

The Eagle or Aguila in the vernacular is the acronym of the Alyansang Guico at Lambino for the governorship and vice governorship races of Pangasinan province participated by 5^th District Rep. Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III and Vice Gov. Mark Lambino, respectively.

POWERFUL POLITICIAN and Bayambang Mayor Cezar T. Quiambo (left, photo and clockwise), Pangasinan new Governor –Elect Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III, and exiting Pangasinan Governor Amado “Pogi” Espino, III. Guico trounces out Espino with a 187, 801 lead votes in the latest governorship derby. The former and the latter garnered 885,272 votes, 697, 465 votes, respectively. Espino’s father and namesake the former governor of the colossal province accused Quiambao of massive machination that saw his governor and congressman’s sons routed in the polls by their rivals.

Quiambao was accused by former governor Amado T. Espino, Jr – his high school classmate  - to be behind the massive cheating that saw his son and namesake the governor of the province lost in the May 9 election.

“The issue on me I think is wrong. This a joint team effort. The real changer here is Congressman Mark Cojuangco. He lost as a candidate for governor, moved to the 2^nd District. That’s the game changer. Without the sacrifice of Cong. Mark I don’t think we have a strong team,” Quiambao retorted to the query of this writer on the election machination that favors Guico and Cojuangco.

“Mula ng maging Mayor si Mr. Quiambao hindi na nanalo si Pogi. Dati si Ric (former Bayambang Mayor who ran the town’s top post) sa kanya mismong barangay,” he told reporters in a press conference he called at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here in May 10 with the Abante Pangasinan Ilokano (API) Secretary General Nelson V. Gayo and some Pangasinan mayoralty candidates who were trounced out in the polls like  Bryan Gotoc and Joseph Arman Bauzon.

In a press briefing to answer the accusations of Espino held on May 11 at the residence of Cojuangco in North Bay School, Maramba Blvd., Libsong West here, Quiambao – accompanied by Guico, Cojuangco, 1^st District Representative-Elect Art Celeste, Abono Partylist Congressman Eskimo Estrella, and Guico’s father and namesake the 5^th District Congressman-elect – cited the factors how Espino’s governor and 2^nd District Congressman sons lose the election.

He mentioned the unity of the members of the Aguila who were seated with him at the press conference and the persistence of Celeste to convince Cojuangco to transfer his residency in the 2nd District - the Lion’s Den of the Espinos where the former governor and the present solon reside – where Quiambao considered it a vacuum with their power play with the sitting political family.

 PRESS CONFERENCE called by Aguila last May 11 to answer the accusations of former Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. about the massive cheating done by the party to his governor and congressman's sons. The presser was held at the residence of 2nd District Cong. - Elect Mark Cojuangco at North Bay School, Maramba Blvd., Libsong West in Lingayen, Pangasinan. From L-to-R: Abono Party List Rep. Robert Raymund Estrella, 1st District Cong.-Elect Art Celeste, Bayambang Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao, Vice Governor-Elect Mark Lambino, Pangasinan Governor-Elect Ramon Guico, III, 2nd District Rep. -Elect Mark Cojuangco, and 5th District Cong. - Elect Ramon Guico, Jr.. PHOTO BY MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

It has more or less 315,000 registered voters (2022 data) that could prejudice the victory of Guico among the almost two million registered voters of the entire province in case they could not find an effective opponent to challenge Congressman Jumel Anthony Espino there.

Guico and reelectionist Pogi Espino garnered 885,272 votes, 697, 465 votes, respectively or a lead votes of 187, 801 in favor of Guico.

Cojuangco beat Jumel Espino with a lead votes of 14, 584 votes.

“First District we are strong. Our weakest point is the 2^nd District. We’re strong (in the) 4^th District, I think we’re strong in the 3^rd District, 5^th District we’ve the strongest support there, 6^th District we have the Abono. Look at the composition of the group. It’s really a united effort well- organized, well- studied, well- strategize”.

The third factor was the quality of the candidates Aguila fielded in the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 5th Districts and the collaboration of the bets to buttress the political stocks of Aguila in the 6th District through the Abono Party List of exiting Rep. Conrad Estrella.

“The most important factor: The quality of the candidates. There was no single issue that were raised against the candidates especially Governor Monmon Guico”.

The fifth factor, according to Quiambao, was their resources like the use of helicopters where each of them – him, Cojuangco, and Guico - owned to hopscotch (especially for Guico) from up to four villages a day since they start barnstorming the barangays in September last year.

“We’re able to go around para sa (more than) 1,200 barangays. That makes the difference naka-helicopter kaming lahat”.

He said this technology bode them well to their march to victory.

“Very clear we did not apply technology to cheat. We look at the system. The system is 99% accurate that is the standard of the automative election,” as his rebuttal to the cheating yarn of the older Espino.

He cited the defeat of the opponents as the Espinos’ Fatigue where the patriarch and his sons governed the forty-four towns and three cities’ province for almost twenty years without significant improvement to the lives of the people.

“Siguro the fourth factor is Espinos’ Fatigue. Pagod na rin siguro ang mga tao. 15 years’ service hindi satisfied iyong tao”.

Except the vice governor and the Abono Party List’s nominee No. 1 Estrella, Quiambao told the public that the same individuals seated with him were the original members who shored up and catapulted Espino, Jr. to Congress in the 2005 election and the governorship in the 2007 poll.

“These are people who make him governor who made him congressman. All of us. So we can make a governor, we can also make a downfall of the governor”.

 Cong.-Elect Celeste butted in that if massive cheating had been perpetrated by their camp then his two brothers' former Congressman Jesus 'Boying" Celeste, exiting Congressman Noli Celeste, and Mangaldan Mayor Marilyn Lambino would not lose in the mayorship contests in the towns of Sual, Agno, and Mangaldan, respectively. The defeated candidates are members of Aguila.

The other factor this newspaper saw that caused the routing of the Espinos in the May 9 derby was the five expensive fifteen and thirty seconds’ political advertisement shown daily at the regional afternoon news of GMA-7 two months before the election.  Governor Espino’s public relation guys could only show pathetically three infomercials two weeks before the election.

READ MY OTHER BLOG:

Guico can Beat Espino – Quiambao

MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

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I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing local and international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.

Majority Opp. Lawmakers can Make, Unmake the Chief Exec

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Because of the cops loyal to Dagupan City Mayor Brian Lim who guarded two big villages in the coastal city to prevent the monies allegedly from the camp of the mayorship challenger Belen Fernandez (a former six years’ mayor) to circulate with a vengeance, the reelection victory of the almost three years’ Hizzoner Lim became a casualty.

The anger of the voters who were locked down on the eve of the election could be seen on the 67, 499 votes of Fernandez (a Chinese descent like Lim) versus the 53, 042 votes gained by the incumbent mayor. Geez, that’s a 144, 457 lead votes for incoming Mayor Belen – the Woman with Balls as based on her intrepidity to fight what is best for the Dagupenos.

SCHISM between the Legislative and the Executive Departments. Photo credit: Latestlaws.com

In their first match in 2019 election, Lim won a measly 1,239 votes to wear the mayoralty diadem of progressive city in Northern Luzon with more than a hundred thousand of voters.

But the acrimonious political drama in Bangus City – started in June 30, 2019 to the stonewalling of the mostly Fernandez ally Dads to deprive Lim of his more than a billion pesos’ budget - did not end on the night Fernandez was proclaimed as Mayor by the Commission on Election.

As I scanned the 100% accomplished data of Halalan 2022 of ABS-CBN, I saw Red Flag on the equation of the twelve members of the legislature (Pinoys call it Sangguniang Panlungsod). Seven of the new Councilors came from the ticket of Lim while three hailed from Fernandez’s slate.

“With the ex-officio members of the SP through the Presidents of the Liga ng mga Barangays and the Samahang Kabataan Federation, the balance-of-power (or power play or whatever you call it) tips on the allies of Lim on the legislature,” I told my son Jigger while browsing the data of Halalan 2022.

They can continue what the former allies of Fernandez by holding hostage projects and programs Mayor-Elect Belen Fernandez wants to pass.

The still to be passed billions of pesos 2022 annual budget under the Lim Administration can be allowed to go by the majority of the Councilors who procrastinated on it since late last year thus the local government is snagged with the 2021 reenacted budget sans the twenty percent Development Fund (psst construction and repair of infras and where the alleged S.O.Ps are embedded)   

But my eldest son – who is enchanted with the razzmatazz of the local government because he once worked there – told me that buying one councilor – says for a million or more pesos (through projects or cold cash, baby)  – can make the equation six – six where the tie breaker is Fernandez’s cousin and the incumbent Vice Mayor Bryan Kua.

***

If some of the Dads of Dagupan can be procured through projects or whatever salamabit to collaborate whatever the chief of the executive department wants to foist so she can look popular after three years and help her reelection bid, could it happen to Pangasinan Governor-Elect Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III?

Recently, I asked him inside the session hall of the provincial lawmakers in capital town Lingayen about the impending schism from the eight new members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan comes June 30. These eight Dads are loyal to exiting Governor Amado Espino, III and his namesake father the former governor while Guico got only four provincial lawmakers.

With the two ex-officio members of the SP who come from the presidency of the Liga ng mga Barangay and the Samahan ng mga Kabataan Federation, the equation in the provincial board will be ten opposition members and four from your own party, will they prejudice the governor’s projects and programs through their obstruction on Resolutions and Ordinances?

The outgoing Pangasinan 5^th District Congressman Guico retort: “Well, kung hindi sila makiayon e di they did not perform their mandate as legislatures of the province. So, kailangan gamitin na rin nila kung ano iyong (inaudible)..”

READ MY OTHER BLOG:

The Lethal, Costly Weapons of a Cobra

MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

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I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing local and international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.

Guicos Hit Espino on Cheating: Nope, We Used the Same Machine

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Governor-elect Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III and his congressman-elect father and namesake turned the table against former Governor Amado T. Espino, III when the governor-elect told this newspaper that it was impossible that Espino’s governor and congressman sons were cheated because all of them use the same voting machine from the Commission on Election.

“Well ito tingnan nila. Di ba meron silang API (partylist) dumaan sa parehong makina? Nanalo sila eh! So ibig sabihin kung questionable iyong pagkapanalo namin questionable din ang pagkapanalo ng API. There is the same ballot there is the same machine that (has been) used, so di ba?” the new governor explained.

PROVINCIAL FAMILY. Pangasinan Governor -elect Ramon "Monmon" Guico, III (3rd from left) and his namesake 2nd District  Congressman -elect father Monching (4th from left) after they were proclaimed yesterday by the Commission on Election at the session hall of the provincial legislature in the capital town's Lingayen. Other in photos from left: New Binalonan Mayor Ramon Guico, IV, the governor's wife Maan Guico, and the Guico's matriarch Arlene.

5th District Representative-elect Ramon “Monching” Guico, Jr. downplayed the accusation of former Governor Espino, Jr. of massive cheating in a press conference he called yesterday at the Narciso Ramos Sports & Civic Center here because the Guicos were the challenger and the mammoth almost two hundred thousand differences of votes debunked the machination yarn of Espino.

“Alam mo ang hirap dito sa atin sa Pilipinas ano wala ng talo. May nanalo kung matalo may daya. Pero paano kami mandaraya e challenger kami! Makita mo naman ang agwat malaki, malaki ang lamang,” the exiting mayor of Binalonan explained.

The young Guico and former Representative Mark Cojuangco defeated in the May 9 election Pangasinan Governor Amado “Pogi” Espino, III and 2^nd District Congressman Jumel Anthony Espino, respectively.

Halalan 2022 of ABS-CBN unofficial data bared that Guico, III and Espino, III got 885,272 votes and 697, 465 votes, respectively, while Cojuangco and outgoing Rep. Espino garnered 150, 472 votes and 135, 888 votes respectively.

Guico and Cojuangco have 187, 801 and 14, 584, respectively, lead votes against their opponents.

In a press conference called by the Team Aguila of Guico, Cojuangco, and Bayambang Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao at the house of Congressman Cojuangco here last Wednesday here, 1st District Representative-elect Art Celeste denied vehemently any machination in the Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machines.

He said if massive cheating had been perpetrated by their camp then his two brothers' former Congressman Jesus 'Boying" Celeste, exiting Congressman Noli Celeste, and Mangaldan Mayor Marlyn Lambino would not lose in the mayorship contests in towns of Sual, Agno, and Mangaldan, respectively.

The defeated candidates are members of Aguila.

Swan Song of Mayor CTQ: Zero Votes vs. Rivals Iike Espino

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan – The exiting almost six years’ billionaire-mayor here declared his bowing-out of politics in the Miting de Avance’ of his young actress-wife by dangling up to P1.5 million reward to one of the 77 villages here that could give 18-0 votes to his party and his spouse’s opponent’s national and local candidates.

“Meron tayong gantimpala sa barangay na magbibigay ng 18-0 mula sa P600, 000 hangang P1, 450,000 depende sa laki ng inyong barangay. Mayo Diyes puede ninyo ng kulektahin. At sinabi ko doon sa mga Barangay Captains 10% ng gantimpala para sa barangay, 90% hati-hatiin ninyo lahat para pagdating ng Mayo Diyes meron na naman kayong pandagdag pang ayuda,” he told the applauding and cheering thousands of supporters who attend the band backed hoopla of his wife’s party held in the plaza here around nine o’clock in the evening last Friday.

HIZZONER. Exiting Bayambang Billionaire-Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao speaks before his thousands of supporters during the Miting de Avance' held of his actress-mayoralty candidate wife Niña Jose-Quiambao (second from right seated on the first row) held recently at the town's plaza. PHOTO MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

The 18 candidates of Mayor Quiambao are Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr and Sara Duterte for the presidential and vice presidential posts, respectively, of the UNITEAM, Abono Partylist, Maria Rachel Arenas for the 3^rd District Congressional seat, 5^th District Cong. Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III and Vice Gov. Mark Lambino for the governorship and vice governorship of Pangasinan of the opposition party, two candidates for the provincial board of the 3^rd District, Mary Clare Phyllis “Niña” Jose-Quiambao and IC Sabangan for the mayorship and vice mayorship, respectively, of this robust town, and the eight candidates for the lawmaking body.

The pronouncement of Quiambao – whose family owned the nationally renowned  Stradom (IT Solution for Real Change) and Land Registration Systems - debunked the outrageous tale among several individuals that the zero votes in the 2019 election to his party’s opponents like perennial mayoralty rival former Mayor Ric Camacho and Governor Amado Espino, III – the son of his high school classmate the former governor and with the same namesake – were victim of manipulation of the internet backed election machine when they got zero votes in some villages here.

During the filing of candidacy of his wife,  Mayor  Quiambao in the Event Center here told his supporters - who were later joined by the party of governorship and vice governorship candidates  Guico and Lambino, respectively – that he would be joining the private sector again and ventures in a $1 billion or P50 billion investment for a power plant in Benguet Province. He said that he needs to continue remitting hundreds of millions of pesos for the town especially his P5 billion bamboo project that could generate more jobs for the people here.

"Malaki po ang aking hinaharap. Malaki po ang gusto kong mangyari sa mga negosyo ng aming pamilya. Kapag ito po ay nagtagumpay, maniwala kayo, sampung libong hektarya ang aking patataniman sa susunod na tatlong taon. Kailangang ko ang maraming panahong iyon at kailangan ang malaking pondo. Mahigit limang bilyon (pesos) ang kailangang kapital para matapos ang aking panaginip sa programa ng kawayan". 

One of the gargantuan projects that came from the private fund of the billionaire-mayor is the colossal  St. Vincent Ferrer Statue. The P250 million statue was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the tallest bamboo sculpture in the world.

During the six years stint of Mayor Quiambao, this first class town benefited on the more than hundred of million of pesos taxes yearly derived from the family controlled corporations.

READ MY OTHER BLOG:

Guico can Beat Espino – Quiambao

70%-30% in Favor of Sagles vs Soriano

 AGUILAR, PANGASINAN MAYORALTY RACE

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

AGUILAR, Pangasinan – The mayoralty candidate of this third class will be getting 70% of the vote versus the opponent who is a present lawmaker here.

“70-30% sa Vil Sagles Team,” according to her exiting mayor-husband Roldan “Boyet” Sagles when interviewed by this newspaper.

The two-term mayor cited that four of the seven candidates for the lawmaking body’s Sangguniang Bayan (legislature) under his wife party’s National Unity Party will win.

MAYORALTY RIVALS of Aguilar, Pangasinan. Vil Sagles (left, photo) and Councilor Kristal Ballesteros-Soriano.

Eng. Angelina de Vera confidently butted in the interview that she will be the shoo-in as the No. 1 elected councilor after the May 9, election.

Eng. De Vera, a former college professor, was the long serving Municipal Engineer of this town.

Mayor Sagles said with the present ex-officio in the SB of the presidents of Liga ng mga Barangay and the Samahang Kabataan (SK) Federation allied with him and his wife, Vil Sagles will have a majority of six lawmakers that will pass ordinances and resolutions in her favor.

The mayor hit the present opposition majority in the SB lead by Councilor Kristal Ballesteros- Soriano – daughter of the former mayor here who is Vil’s mayoralty rival – of not approving the Resolution for the multi-million pesos’ projects like the P50 million second evacuation center given by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) in this rustic town.

“Resolution lang ang kulang doon.  Dadami ang project pag makasama iyang PAGCOR na iyan alam mo susunod palengke PAGCOR din. P50 million din”.

The first evacuation center given by the PAGCOR here cost P36 million.

Sagles – who undergoes medical treatment – would be an adviser to his spouse how to run the local government unit.

This town has 29,400 registered voters.

The projects procured or created by Mayor Sagles in his almost six years’ stint were new dump truck, new firetruck, new ambulance, new municipal warehouse, solar street lights, P36 million evacuation center in Barangay Buer, newly designed plaza, more farm- to- market roads, Corona Virus Disease-19 building, or distribution late this year of 16 Mitsubishi utility vans to each of the sixteen barangays.

Before his term ends at noon of June 30 this year, Sagles cited the following projects in the pipeline he prepares to implement in the first half of this year: Solar lights in the stretches of the national highway that cover various villages here, the P5 million oval at Mapita Economic Park, another police car, and another fire truck to be funded by the coffer of the local government unit.

70%-30% in Favor of Sagles vs Soriano

AGUILAR, PANGASINAN MAYORALTY RACE

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

AGUILAR, Pangasinan – The mayoralty candidate of this third class will be getting 70% of the vote versus the opponent who is a present lawmaker here.

“70-30% sa Vil Sagles Team,” according to her exiting mayor-husband Roldan “Boyet” Sagles when interviewed by this newspaper.

The two-term mayor cited that four of the seven candidates for the lawmaking body’s Sangguniang Bayan (legislature) under his wife party’s National Unity Party will win.

MAYORALTY RIVALS of Aguilar, Pangasinan. Vil Sagles (left, photo) and Councilor Kristal Ballesteros-Soriano.

Eng. Angelina de Vera confidently butted in the interview that she will be the shoo-in as the No. 1 elected councilor after the May 9, election.

Eng. De Vera, a former college professor, was the long serving Municipal Engineer of this town.

Mayor Sagles said with the present ex-officio in the SB of the presidents of Liga ng mga Barangay and the Samahang Kabataan (SK) Federation allied with him and his wife, Vil Sagles will have a majority of six lawmakers that will pass ordinances and resolutions in her favor.

The mayor hit the present opposition majority in the SB lead by Councilor Kristal Ballesteros- Soriano – daughter of the former mayor here who is Vil’s mayoralty rival – of not approving the Resolution for the multi-million pesos’ projects like the P50 million second evacuation center given by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) in this rustic town.

“Resolution lang ang kulang doon.  Dadami ang project pag makasama iyang PAGCOR na iyan alam mo susunod palengke PAGCOR din. P50 million din”.

The first evacuation center given by the PAGCOR here cost P36 million.

Sagles – who undergoes medical treatment – would be an adviser to his spouse how to run the local government unit.

This town has 29,400 registered voters.

The projects procured or created by Mayor Sagles in his almost six years’ stint were new dump truck, new firetruck, new ambulance, new municipal warehouse, solar street lights, P36 million evacuation center in Barangay Buer, newly designed plaza, more farm- to- market roads, Corona Virus Disease-19 building, or distribution late this year of 16 Mitsubishi utility vans to each of the sixteen barangays.

Before his term ends at noon of June 30 this year, Sagles cited the following projects in the pipeline he prepares to implement in the first half of this year: Solar lights in the stretches of the national highway that cover various villages here, the P5 million oval at Mapita Economic Park, another police car, and another fire truck to be funded by the coffer of the local government unit.

Zaplan couldn’t Accept how Mayor Joel Beautify Sta. Barbara

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

STA. BARBARA – This robust P380 million annually budgeted local government in Central Pangasinan has thrived aesthetically and economically that its former mayor could not accept it, the incumbent chief executive told this newspaper.

“Three hundred eighty million pesos (P380 million). Dati P240 million pag upo ko. Hindi niya matanggap iyon, “reelectionist Mayor Joel delos Santos cited the present annual budget of the local government he steered since he became the chief executive here in June 2019.

He is pitted with the politically seasoned come backing mayorship candidate Lito Zaplan for the May 9, 2022 election. Zaplan has been the chief executive of this  town for decades.

REELECTIONIST Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan Mayor Joel delos Santos (left, photo) and rival former Mayor Lito Zaplan. The duo and their supporters have been hurling charges in a tense election as the May 9 D-Day approaches.

Delos Santos confirmed the observation of people in and out of Sta. Barbara that he aesthetically developed its park and gymnasium in three years’ stint after he beat by 147 votes the son and namesake of his rival in the 2019 election.

The town now has more or less 50,000 registered voters.

“Rehabilitation of our plaza pinagtatanggal iyan. Nilinisan pinalawak, tinabunan, gumawa ako ng bagong stage may mga bleachers, inayos ang surrounding, pavemented lahat, tapos landscape”.

He allocated P40 million of the P130 million loan in the Land Bank to the plaza.

“Forty million pesos (P40 million) only. Taliwas sa sinasabi niya na P130 million”.

He cited the P80 million renovation of the Santa Barbara Gymnasium that swell from its former size by converting it to a 3,000 square meters’ building foot prints that could accommodate 5,000 occupants.

He rebutted Zaplan who accused him of giving false reports to the media about the overpricing of the plaza funded by the loan the local government unit contracted from the bank.

“Yes! Siya din noong pag upo iya nag loan kami P100 million. Now sini single out niya doon sa P130 million plaza lang. Kabobohan! Plaza at gym,” the former vice mayor –turned – mayor pugnaciously said.

He cited too the solar project seated on a 27-hectare in Barangay Erfe here he interceded to materialize.

It is owned by the Manaoag Solar whose former partner was Manila based businessman Joey de Venecia.

Delos Santos cited that the P40 million of the P380 million annual appropriation budget this year come from the local taxes of this first class town.

P21 to P25 million of it came from the real property yearly tax of the giant liquor maker’s Ginebra San Miguel. The other revenues come from RC Cola and Central Pangasinan Electric Cooperative, Inc., and other.

With his determination to end the electoral return of the Zaplans - where their matriarch became a mayor here, too – the Mayor boasted that the two village chiefs (Kapitans) and his allies became nine, the then 37 village councilors and allies became 1,000 now, and the 300 political leaders swell to 1,300.

“Bawas na  sa kanya. Kapitan meron na siyang tanod may BHW may hawak siya senior citizens malamang pupunta na sa akin iyon. Okay iyong kagawad from 57 to 100 merong 63 na dumagdag. O ilan na iyan? Mag-aanak pa iyan pamilya nila. Multiply by three babawas sa kanya dadagdag sa akin”.

 Delos Santos confidently told this writer that he will easily defeat the patriarch of the Zaplans in winning the votes of the 50,000 registered voters here. 

He said the block voting Iglesia ni Cristo (InC) will support him because he is the incumbent.

But as of press time, reports received by this newspaper showed that Zaplan got the support of the block voting sect.

The religious Delos Santos is a Southern Baptist and licensed architect.