(Photos grabbed from iOrbit News)
ANGELES CITY – Mayoralty aspirant Alex Cauguiran is now the standard-bearer of the Kambilan Party, the political party founded and chaired by Gov. Lilia “Nanay” G. Pineda.
This developed after Cauguiran took his oath as a member of Kambilan from its secretary-general, former Bacolor Mayor Romeo “Buddy” Dungca, at the Rib-Eye Function Hall in Barangay Pulung Maragul here on Friday.
Cauguiran was joined by about 700 others who claimed to be rejected from the Partido Abe Kapampangan (PAK) chaired by Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, the party he founded with Cauguiran.
The “merger of two giants” was how former PAK members and now Kambilan Da Reng Abe members described the new alliance.
“Sera de pu ing munisipyu, pero biklat da ne man in Capitolyu kekatamu (They closed city hall, but the door of the Capitol was opened to us),” the 61-year-old Cauguiran declared amid tumultuous applause as he began his speech before his supporters at the jampacked function hall.
Cauguiran said he is grateful for Kambilan’s nomination as this disproves the “sure to lose’” remark labelled against him by his opponents.
Cauguiran is the incumbent president of the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) and is widely credited for the increased flights and passenger volume of the previously ignored airport.
“Thank you, Governor Nanay (Pineda) for seeing our strong managerial leadership, sincerity and ability to mobilize tens of thousands of supporters to realize our advocacies,” Cauguiran, founder of PAK, said.
He added that his main political machinery will now be called “Kambilan Da Reng Abe.”
Cauguiran, who was the former chief of staff of Mayor Pamintuan, also asked his supporters to not engage in “dirty politics” and sought their help in “raising the level of political discourse.”
During the event, Cauguiran also announced his running mate and candidate for vice mayor as threeterm former city councilor Maricel “Marang” Morales.
The candidates for the city council who were present during the event were also announced starting with former Balibago chairman and now kagawad Rodelio “Tony” Mamac, Avel Antonio, Harvey Santiago, fireman Edward Laki and incumbent city councilor Jae “Bulaklak ng Masa” Flores who also hosted the event.
Kambilan stalwarts provincial board members Rosve Henson and Ananias “Jun” Canlas both delivered their stirring impromptu speeches as they roused the attendees for the party’s candidates.
It can be recalled that Pamintuan’s choice of the sitting vice mayor, Bryan Nepomuceno, scion of one of the city’s wealthiest families and non-party member, as his successor stirred controversy in the city’s political circles.
But Cauguiran still told his supporters to support Pamintuan. “We will also support Pamintuan, in spite of everything, as partylist candidate in the same elections,” Cauguiran said.
