PAMPANGA Mayors’ League (PML) former president Jerry Pelayo has denied working as a campaign manager of gubernatorial candidate Bacolor Mayor Jomar Hizon.
Pelayo issued the clarification at a forum of the Campampangan in Media, Inc. last week and in an interview with media in the City Of San Fernando on Wednesday, April 10.
“Ala kung pakialam kang Jomar. Ala kung akakit a clear kang Jomar. (I don’t care about Jomar. I don’t see any clear platform from him),” Pelayo’s latest statement went.
Provincial Board Member Rosve Henson, the campaign chief of gubernatorial aspirant Vice Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda in the four-cornered race for the top provincial post, claimed that Pelayo’s pronouncement is a welcome development.
“Dalawang beses nang sinasabi ni ex-mayor Jerry na hindi siya campaign manager ni Jomar, kontra sa ginagawa niyang pangangampanya halimbawa sa Santo Tomas (Ex-mayor Jerry had twice said he is not the campaign manager of Jomar, contrary to what he says in his campaigns like in Sto. Tomas),” Henson said.
“Malinaw na inabandonda na niya yung kandidato niya. This is a very much welcome development. Natauhan na si ex-mayor Jerry sa pangangailangan sa tunay na lider gaya ni Delta (It is clear he abandoned his candidate. Ex-mayor Jerry has realized the need for a true leader like Delta),” Henson added.
Pineda is the candidate of the local political party Kambilan that is chaired by Governor Lilia Pineda. Kambilan fortified the ranks by forging alliances with Third District Representative Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales, Jr. and Fourth District Representative Juan Pablo “Rimpy” Bondoc.
Pelayo said he is “keenly watching” the advocacies of the younger Pineda while stressing “I have nothing personal against the Pinedas.”
“Will Delta restore the Ebun-Ibon Festival? How exactly is he going to deal with solid waste? I heard he and Governor Pineda are going to establish garbage transfer stations, which is a good idea. Will Delta promote sustainable agriculture?” said Pelayo, former mayor of Candaba town. He is president of Aguila, a group of former government officials pushing for agriculture that uplifts the lives of farmers.
But Henson said Pineda is “not one who imposes his will on local leaders.”
For his part, Pineda said: “Hindi ko po puedeng pangunahan ang mga local leaders. Mas alam po nila ang problema at solusyon sa kani-kanilang areas. Basta magkakaisa kami kung tungkol sa ikabubuti ng mamamayan (I cannot pre-empt local leaders. They know better the solutions to their problems in their respective areas. What is important is we unite for the welfare of people).” (JTD)