Thursday, September 28, 2006 Aquino v. Rodriguez in San Fernando mayoral race By Albert B. Lacanlale
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Pampanga Third District Representative Rey Aquino on Wednesday announced that he would wrest the mayoral position from Mayor Oscar Rodriguez should there be an election in May next year.
Aquino made the pronouncement in front of dozens of political leaders who attended what could be the re-launching of his partnership with former vice mayor Eligio Lagman, who lost to Rodriguez in the 2004 mayoral race.
The Aquino-Lagman tandem had been a formidable team in their recent bids for the top two municipal positions here before the capital town was converted into a city.
In a meeting, Aquino said his oath-taking under the umbrella of Kampi, the political party of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has given him a free-hand to decide on his political move come next year.
In 2004, Aquino, who ran for a congressional seat, endorsed Rodriguez as his successor at the City Hall, breaking his long-time partnership with his deputy, Lagman.
Aquino said it was against his will to run alongside Rodriguez because he personally knows how Lagman served the Fernandinos but he was prodded by his party, the ruling Lakas-CMD (Christian Muslim Democrats), to endorse the former congressman.
"But since I am loyal to the party, I let the party decide on whom I should run with," Aquino said.
Shortly after their separate proclamations, Rodriguez and Aquino's relation was soured by a controversy over the City Government's remaining finances after Aquino vacated the City Hall.
The rift between the erstwhile allies widened with the two filing charges against each other -- Aquino sued Rodriguez over a P125-million loan with the LandBank, while the Rodriguez administration pursued dozens of cases against the lawmaker for alleged anomalies.
Aquino said the cases against him are clearly politically motivated as Rodriguez saw his announcement to run for mayor coming.
With Aquino wanting to return to the City Hall, the congressional district would be left vacant, providing a wide road for Board Member Aurelio Gonzales, Jr. who is rumored to be eyeing for the House seat come 2007.
Aquino explained the election would more likely push through as the effort to revise the 1987 Constitution has encountered heavy legal obstacles.
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