LP Angeles picks guest candidates

ANGELES CITY -- The Liberal Party (LP) chapter in this highly urbanized city has recently selected seven potential candidates for councilor and an aspirant to the vice mayoralty post.

During the party nomination in a recent convention, members of the administration party here agreed to support the candidacy of Balibago Chairman Rodelio S. Mamac in the vice mayoralty race.

The LP local officers also picked incumbent councilors Arvin Suller, Edgardo Pamintuan Jr., and Brian Nepomuceno; former councilors Rudy Simeon and Ruben Maniago; Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr., and Councilor Dan Lacson’s daughter Kagawad Danica Lacson as their guest candidates.

Lazatin, Nepomuceno, and Simeon were present during the party nomination while the younger Lacson was with her father. Pamintuan, Suller and Maniago were not present during the event.

Lawyer Arlene S. Buan, LP Angeles City Chapter spokesperson, said the LP national executive board has given authority to its local chapter to choose local candidates which the party will support in next year’s polls.

LP Angeles City Chapter secured a permit from the national directorate prior to the assembly, according to Buan.

Buan said the LP Angeles Chapter secretariat headed by Billy Fernandez sent a letter LP President Mar Roxas and Secretary General Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo, Director General Gladys Sta. Rita, and Pampanga Chairman and City of San Fernando Mayor Oscar Rodriguez about the local assembly.

The convention is sanctioned by the national leadership of the Liberal Party, Buan said.

The outcome will be sent to the political party’s head office in Manila for final approval.

During his speech, Mamac said Barangay Balibago has the biggest number of voters at about 25,000. He said an average of 70 percent or 16,000 voter turnout is expected every elections.

The Balibago Council of Elders, which consists of heads of big families, vowed to support Mamac and the party’s seven adopted candidates for councilors.

Mamac said that now is the time for changes. “Panahon na para magkaron ng tunay na pagbabago,” he said.

The village chairman even denounced the disapproval of several crucial and important ordinances passed by the Balibago council. He vowed to help punong barangays to pass ordinances based on their constituents’ needs.

“We will draft an executive program which is focused on the peoples’ needs, expenditures and elimination of graft and corruption,” Mamac said.
The barangay chairman also asked his constituents to unite in supporting the seven LP guest candidates.

He also asked the support of the seven candidates in his vice-mayoralty bid.

“Let us unite in order to realize our dream for our city,” Mamac said.
He added that the LP national leadership will decide which congressional and mayoralty candidates will be anointed.