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Sunday, March 11, 2007
Ex-PNP chief to run against House Speaker for Congress seat
DAGUPAN CITY –- Former PNP chief Arturo Lomibao announced on Saturday his interest to run as congressman in the fourth district against political giant House Speaker Jose de Venecia.
Pinoy Votes: Sun.Star Election 2007 Coverage
Lomibao who was appointed as National Irrigation Administration (NIA) chief recently resigned from the post to prepare for the congressional race.
He will also be running against Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin Lim in the congressional race.
Lomibao said he is not afraid of running against de Venecia in particular.
“There is such a thing as David and Goliath in the in the Bible. This is a free country and the way I look at we have an equal chance. While they are popular on their own right and in their area, I think also my exposure not only as a national police chief but also as NIA administrator is also not contestable having gone around most of the time during my stint in both agencies.”
Although he earlier thought of seeking the governorship of Pangasinan, Lomibao said running for a Congress seat “is a more practical decision.”
“Everybody knows that there are a number of personalities running for governor. My fear is that with the number of administration candidates, the opposition candidate might win. Dr. Jamie Agbayani is running, Vice Governor Oscar Lambino is running, so is Congressman Amado Espino. If I run for governor, then the four of us supporting the administration would be up against perhaps a strong candidate like (former governor) Oscar Orbos,” he said.
Early on, Lomibao and Espino - who are classmates in the Philippine Military Academy Class 1972 - separately declared they will never run against each other in the gubernatorial race.
He said there were four parameters he considered before he decided to seek an elective position. These include surveys, resources, blessings of the party and the President, and the support of his family, particularly his two children.
“In the gubernatorial, I have satisfied three out of the four parameters but this is immaterial now as I’m not running for governor anymore. But in the matter of the congressional candidacy, the surveys would show also that the standing between myself, Speaker de Veneica and Mayor Lim are very close,” he said.
“In terms of resources, we can work on that. In terms of the party, as of now, I have a pending application with Kampi. The PDSP (Partido Demokratiko-Sosyalista ng Pilipinas) is also offering that I be a member of the party. There are also some parties which I do not like to mention as yet, will also probably going to welcome me. As far as the blessings of the President, I don’t think I can get it. I don’t want to be presumptuous, I would rather that I expect for the worst, not getting the blessings of the President. But to me, perhaps the more important is I get the blessings of the people, not the President. But of course, if the President gives me her blessings, that will be a plus factor,” Lomibao said.
If his daughter and son were split in his intention to run for governor, the two now support in his plan to run for congressman, he added.
Lomibao hails from Mangaldan town while De Venecia and Lim are both from Dagupan City.For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (March 11, 2007 issue)
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