CLARK FREEPORT -- Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan has vowed to pursue the creation of a lone legislative district for the city if he wins in 2019 midterm polls.
Pamintuan, who is running for congressman under the Abe Kapampangan Party-list, revealed this during a discussion with members of the Capampangan in Media, Inc. (CAMI) at the Bale-Balita here.
He said his party-list will not represent any particular sector but will be the answer to the disproportionate representation of the first district in the House of Representatives.
"While other districts in the country with less population than our district have two or more congressmen, we only have one," he said, citing Marikina City, which has two representatives according to him.
Pamintuan blamed a previous congressman for this failure. He did not name the congressman.
He said that if he wins and Joseller “Yeng” Guiao, who is set to regain the congressional seat he lost to Congressman Carmelo “Jon” Lazatin, Jr. in 2016, also wins, they can work together for the creation of the city lone district.
Meanwhile, Pamintuan said his endorsement of Vice-Mayor Bryan Nepomuceno as his mayoralty bet versus erstwhile chief of staff and former president of Clark International Airport Corporation Alexander Cauiguran was a personal choice.
He did not elaborate but he hinted at some minor irritants although he still considers Cauguiran as a friend.
Pamintuan was effusive about Nepomuceno's support for his various programs, including the plan to borrow P1.2-billion from the Land Bank of the Philippines to finance the construction of a sports center and other city facilities.
"We're working now for the future of Angelenos," he said.
Pamintuan said the passage of the ordinance for the loan followed the legal and legislative process and was already approved by concerned government agencies, including the Central Bank of the Philippines.
"We're now supposed to be in the bidding stage which the other side wants to stop," he said.
Asked about his previous inclusion the drug list, Pamintuan reiterated that his name was already removed from the list by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte during a meeting of the National Security Council.
He said the President addressed the directive to Secretary Eduardo Ano of the Department of Interior and the Local Government and Director General Aaron Aquino of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
While Cauguiran is running under the Kambilan Party of Pampanga Governor Lilia G. Pineda, Pamintuan disclosed that he is also supported by the governor. (NCS)