Angeles City – There are now two factions of the ruling Partido Abe Kapampangan (PAK) with one headed by Alexander Cauguiran and another by Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan.
This developed after some 500 card carrying members of the party held an “emotionally-filled” general assembly in Barangay Balibago on September 13 where Cauguiran was elected party president, according to a statement made by Dr. Irene Mae Manabat, secretary-general of the party.
A week later on September 20, another general assembly of about 800 delegates was held by the party headed by Pamintuan where they selected its official candidates for the May 13, 2019 elections.
Incumbent Vice Mayor Bryan Matthew Nepomuceno will be the party’s candidate for City Mayor while Councilor Edgardo “Edu” Pamintuan Jr. will be his running mate (vice mayor). The party also selected 10 candidates for councilors namely: Broadcaster Jose “Kuya Jay” Pelayo IV, CLAC President Thelma Indiongco, Jaycee Parker-Aguas, Raco Del Rosario, Barangay Chairman Chris Cortez of Mining, Tabun Brgy. Chairman Alma Mercado, and reelectionist Councilors Amos Rivera, PG Ponce, Dan Lacson and Alfie Bonifacio.
The party also passed a resolution strongly recommending incumbent Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, Councilor Jericho Aguas and former PAK Secretary General Danilo Consumido as the top three nominees of the party list Abe Kapampangan. Also unanimously approved during the assembly attended by more than 800 delegates was a resolution formally adopting the official candidate of Kambilan party, Joseller ‘Yeng” Guiao, for the first congressional district of Pampanga.
Earlier, Cauguiran said “with or without EdPam” he will continue with his political plan.
Cauguiran debunked surveys as the basis of election results and dismissed them as merely tools in guiding the strategies and tactics of political candidates.
“You conducted a survey one year before the elections and then you will use that survey as an authority to determine the outcome? That is unfair. Let me remind Mayor Pamintuan, I was your campaign manager for the five elections and surveys are tools that would guide you in your strategies and tactics in conducting your campaign but at the end of the day, it is the Comelec’s final tally and proclamation that would determine the winner and not the initial survey conducted less than a year ago,” Cauguiran said.
