Thursday, December 14, 2006 Malig: Dong's moral victory By Jun A. Malig Cognition
NOW it's official. Pampanga Third District Board Member Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales is the legitimate candidate for congressman of Lakas-CMD (Christian-Muslim Democrats) in the district on May 14, 2007.
Governor Mark Lapid, provincial chairman of the ruling political party, and his father, Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid, formally raised the hands of Dong at the Grand Palazzo Royale in Angeles City Monday night. I'm sure it's a sweet moral victory for the board member, who had been besieged by perceptions related to his "capability" to render unequivocal support to the administration and the ruling party.
After all that has been said and done, the Lapids eventually chose Dong to be the Lakas-CMD congressional candidate in the third district. And the Lapid camp is known to stick it out with their allies. It would be unlikely for the Lapids to backpedal on their words or commitments. And this is a good thing for Dong.
Last Saturday, Governor Mark, Dong, business executive Paul "Concon" Laus, and fourth district Representative Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo were guests at the "Talakayan" radio program of dwRW. The program served as a venue for the governor to declare his unbreakable decision in having Concon as his running mate and for Congressman Mikey to proclaim that he will not run for governor.
In the program, Mark also announced that his consultations with mayors and other officials would be a big factor in his final choice for Lakas-CMD's official congressional bets in the province. Two days after his announcement, he and his father were raising the hands of Dong. Perhaps they regard Dong as someone who also believes in a la Tatlong Baraha's "walang iwanan" tenet.
Of course, it's not unlikely for the Lapids to choose candidates based on trust and loyalty. Experience and the recent political upheavals in the province probably showed them that political compromises last only for a while.
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Let me express my sympathy to three-term Apalit Mayor Tirso Lacanilao whose son Roy, 34, was waylaid by still unidentified men at 5:30 am on Wednesday.
Initial police reports disclosed that the assailants used M16 assault rifles in killing the mayor's son. And it seems they made sure that he was dead, as at least 23 spent shells of "armalite" rifle were found in the crime scene.
Investigations showed that the victim was on board his Mitsubishi Outlander when armed men aboard a silver Toyota Vios with unknown license plate peppered his vehicle with bullets along a barangay road in Sulipan village.
"Wala naman akong alam na kaaway ang anak ko na nagbabanta sa kanyang buhay. Mahirap naman magbintang. Unfair naman sa ibang tao kung basta na lang natin sila pagbibintangan nang walang ebidensya. Pinapaubaya ko na lang sa Dios ang hustisya. Pinapaubaya ko na lang sa pulis ang imbestigasyon,"
Mayor Tirso told this columnist over the phone. Central Luzon Police Director Ismael Rafanan has instructed his men to prioritize the resolution of the case.
