Mercado: Dong Gonzales - Gibo tayo!

“HUWAG po, kuya!”

My ball park figure on the current status of presidential bets in Pampanga puts Noynoy Aquino ahead with 40 percent; Manny Villar, 32 and Gibo Teodoro, 25, with the rest for the other candidates.

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In votes-rich Angeles City, Villar is on top with 33 percent; Aquino, 30, and Teodoro, 25, with the rest undecided. Manny is strongest in Angeles; Noynoy leads in the City of San Fernando, with Mayor Oca as his chief campaigner.

Noynoy still leads overall on account of being the sentimental favorite, being the son of a patriot and martyr. In addition, he is a Pampango.

Closely following him is Manny Villar whose legendary billions attracted professional political campaigners and expectant volunteer groups.

As the runners approach the penultimate bend, Gibo Teodoro seems to be gaining power and threatens the frontrunners with his steady long strides.

Gibo should be faring well in Angeles City but party leaders in the area do not have him at heart. A smart guy like Teodoro can distinguish between appearances and substance.

If Teodoro does not pick up steam in Angeles, blame it to the lackluster efforts of his supporters from the Party. One is identified by his blood relations with, another as an old time loyalist to Noynoy’s family. They are capable of guerrilla politics.

With this situation obtaining in Pampanga, the Lakas-Kampi coalition has made an overhaul job in its Region 3 machinery.

Assigned to the Herculean task of whipping Gibo Teodoro for the winning sprint in the homestretch was Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales.

Gonzales is now regional chief of the Gibo campaign. Considered one of the few “wonder boys” of the Arroyo administration, Dong will now sacrifice his own campaign time in his reelection to put zoom-zoom power to the standard bearer. He will lead the local Lakas-Kampi army in a carpet bombing and methodically capture the uncommitted voters.

He has at this side the majority of the Pampanga mayors who have been working hard for, and are highly inspired by the support of Comelec-declared governor Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda.

Of course, the party moguls have started to monitor certain naughty mayors who are likely targets of the wolves disguised as Villar campaigners. Aware of the fickle-minded and funds-hungry local executives who are vulnerable to turning turtle overnight, their group were sent to a “spiritus” journey to Hongkong and Macau last week. There they reportedly renewed their vows of fidelity while reciting Panatang Maka bayan.

Local media described the trip as a periodic “oil job” to spur the politicians for the hard work ahead. “Any machine needs regular lubrication for efficiency,” according to party leaders. The price of being trusted by the boss will not be an easy one to pay. Henceforth Dong Gonzales will be working with party for leaders, mostly fellow colleagues in Congress, to ignite a Gibo victory in Central Luzon.

The congressman will be drawing from his own experience and resources to conduct a region-wide, even street-to-street, fighting, the like of which Villar and Aquino has never seen before, I was told.

Dong’s chief target is to make Gibo win in Central Luzon.

His first job is to put Teodoro at par, and even ahead of, the two frontrunners in Pampanga.

“If I can make him win in Pampanga, we can assure his triumph in Region 3, Dong assessed his future performance. Gonzales has chosen the fabled Mt. Arayat his ground zero of the Gibo blitzkrieg in the Region. A huge rally for Teodoro on March 26, with provincial delegations coming from 7 directions, will converge at the foot of Mt. Arayat to start the Region 3 march to victory.

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I am sad to hear very damaging reports putting Chairman Nestor Mangio, of the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) in a bad light.

Mangio, the news dispatched said, apparently misled President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo into supporting a grossly disadvantageous deal for the CIAC’s terminal development program.

Kuya Nestor should cease and desist from pursuing what could be a scandalous project at Clark. His promise that hundreds of present employees will be protected is not an iron-clad guarantee. When the foreign principal firm pushes its own programs, mass lay off of workers will be enforced.

Mrs. Arroyo does not need another scandal of a farewell when she leaves Malacanang in June. That is the wish of our cabalen.

If Chairman Mangio values his close friendship with the First Family, he should drop this project pronto! As one former top official said, “the deal is a sell-out, one that virtually sells the CIAC down a Kuwait river.

The collective undertone of protests from airport personnel it is not unlike the connotation after a classic line in a bomba tabloid which popularizes an anguished cry. “Huwag po, kuya!”

I hope CIAC director Rafael Angeles Lazatin, the congressman’s nephew, will distance himself from this tempting offer. A Lenten gospel about Satan offering Christ all the riches of world had this message: “Man does not live by bread alone.”

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The family of my colleague Jojo Due, whose late father was interred last Saturday, express their heartfelt gratitude to those who condoled with, offered prayers, sent flowers, messages of sympathy, gave donations and who in countless ways helped and comforted them in their our hour of bereavement specially the CIAC people.