Mikey Arroyo to seek reelection unopposed

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Presidential son Rep. Mikey Arroyo is expected to seek reelection without any challenger in this province’s second district where President Arroyo is a registered voter.

"All local politicians, regardless of party affiliation, will support his reelection bid. I don’t think there is anyone who will challenge him," Vice Gov. Joseller "Yeng" Guiao told The STAR.

Guiao debunked reports that Mikey, who belongs to the Lakas-Christian, Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party, has joined Pampanga mayors who recently joined the Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino (Kampi) party.

Kampi was founded in 1998 specifically to launch the presidential candidacy of Mrs. Arroyo. She, however, gave up her bid and ran for vice president as running mate of former President Joseph Estrada.    

"It is not necessary for him to leave Lakas since all pro-administration parties are supporting him, anyway," Guiao said. 

The second district is composed of Lubao, Guagua, Sasmuan, Floridablanca, Sta. Rita, and Porac towns.

Meanwhile, Guiao said he is set to announce soon whether he would accept the invitation of provincial board member Lilia Pineda, wife of Rodolfo "Bong" Pineda, once tagged as a gambling lord, to be her vice gubernatorial candidate in the coming elections.

"I asked her to give me a few days to decide," he said. "As of the moment, my plan is really to run for Congress in the first district."

Comprising the first district are vote-rich Angeles City and the towns of Mabalacat, Porac and Magalang.

Should Guiao, who is with Kampi, decide to pursue his plan to run for Congress in the first district, he would likely clash with incumbent Rep. Francis Nepomuceno of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin of Lakas-CMD, both known supporters of the President.

Guiao, who ran with Gov. Mark Lapid in the 2002 elections, said Kampi has reserved the gubernatorial candidacy for Mrs. Pineda, who has not been affiliated with any political party since she entered politics as councilor, then mayor of Lubao, the President’s hometown, in the 1980s.

Mrs. Pineda has openly declared her intention to run for governor against Lapid, who had reportedly junked her son, Lubao Mayor Dennis Pineda, as his vice gubernatorial candidate in favor of businessman Paul Laus, son of Clark Development Corp. president Liberato Laus.

Guiao said Mrs. Pineda has had meetings with voters in at least 11 towns "to get a feel of (their) acceptance of her political plans."

During these sorties, she openly criticized Lapid for his alleged weak leadership.

Guiao expressed optimism that Mrs. Pineda will eventually affiliate herself with Kampi. He said 16 of Pampanga’s 21 mayors have bolted the Lakas-CMD and joined Kampi.

The mayors still with Lakas-CMD are Chito Espino of Arayat, Pete Flores of Masantol, Edgar Flores of Minalin, Leonardo Flores of Macabebe, Marino Morales of Mabalacat, and Oscar Rodriguez of San Fernando City.

Guiao said he favors proposals for the President not to intervene in the conflicts among pro-administration politicians in Pampanga, adding that "all of them are supporting her anyway."

A few months after assuming the vice gubernatorial post, Guiao distanced himself from Lapid, whose administration he (Guiao) had accused of irregularities in lahar sand quarrying operations.

Earlier, Bukidnon Rep. Jose Miguel Zubiri, Lakas-CMD secretary-general, said the administration party is coordinating with the NPC and Kampi for a coalition senatorial slate.

He added that Lakas is also working out the principle of the equity of the incumbent in the congressional and local government elections so as to preserve the unity of pro-administration politicians.

Citing the loyalty of Lapid and his father, Sen. Lito Lapid, to Lakas, Zubiri said the party would stand by the Lapids in the Pampanga polls.