Former councilor ‘eased-out’ of LP line-up

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Former city councilor Pol Quiwa, who is seeking to regain his old seat as member of the City Council here, has reportedly been "dropped" from the Liberal Party (LP) line-up headed by third district congressional candidate and incumbent Mayor Oscar Rodriguez and mayoralty candidate and incumbent Vice Mayor Edwin Santiago.

In a telephone interview with Quiwa Sunday, the former third District congressional candidate of the administration party (LP) in the May 2010 elections said he was "surprised" to learn that his name was not included in the LP's official candidates for councilors in CSF.

Quiwa claimed that VM Santiago called him on the afternoon of October 3, 2012, two days before the last day of filing of Certificates of Candidacy and informed him that he was "dropped" from the LP line-up allegedly upon the instruction of Mayor Rodriguez.

"Siyempre nabigla ako noong sabihin sa akin ni Vice Edsa yon, dahil less than two days e matatapos na ang filing ng COC kaya nagmadali akong ayusin ang mga requirements para makapag-file at makahabol ako ng konsehal kahit independent lang," Quiwa said.

Quiwa, whose family is "very close" to the late president Corazon Aquino and late senator Ninoy Aquino, was endorse by no less than President Benigno "Pnoy" Aquino III and former governor Ed Panlilio when he ran for Congress in May 2010.

"Many times I have proven my unquestionable loyalty to LP, without fear or favor, because we believe in the ‘Matuwid na Daan’ of our beloved President," Quiwa said.

Quiwa said his inclusion in the LP city council line-up was made last February 2012 after a lunch meeting with Mayor Rodriguez at Heroes’ Hall.
"Ang sabi sa akin ni Mayor Oscar sigurado akong kasama sa line-up and he (Rodriguez) will call for a party convention in June 2012 to finalize the Edsa-Jimmy Lazatin tandem," Quiwa said.

However Councilor Jimmy Lazatin was also dropped as LP Vice Mayoralty candidate in June and the party convention was scrapped. Lazatin has filed his COC as the official vice mayoralty candidate of United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) under the banner of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Quiwa claimed that he and Lazatin were both eased out because they see them as independent-minded public servants and are potential rivals in future elections.

Despite this, Quiwa said he will reclaim his city council seat and will be running as an independent candidate in the upcoming May 2013 elections.

Mayor Rodriguez, in a telephone interview with SSP Sunday, said the decision to pick the LP CSF line- up was VM Santiago’s.

He said that being the LP mayoralty candidate, Santiago is in charge of choosing his line-up for vice mayor and councilors.

Rodriguez also denied any involvement in the "dropping" of Quiwa in the LP CSF line-up for Councilor.

"Si Pareng Edwin and pumipili ng kanyang mga konsehal. Ang alam ko ay hindi inasikaso agad ni Pol yung slot niya para konsehal kaya yung pinsan niya na si Harvey Quiwa ang pinasok nila," Rodriguez said. (Chris Navarro)