TEAM. Former Mayor Buddy Dungca visits Gov. Lilia Pineda at the opening of the Bacolor district hospital on Monday. With them are Mabalacat public school teachers.
Photo by Joey Pavia
BACOLOR, Pampanga – Former Mayor Romeo “Buddy” Dungca vowed to stage a comeback in 2013.
“For mayor,” said Dungca when asked by Punto in an exclusive interview on his political plans after visiting Gov. Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda who inaugurated the district hospital here on Monday.
Dungca also confirmed rumors circulating among mayors and political leaders since last week that he is being wooed to run for vice governor in tandem with Pineda.
“Some quarters are asking me to run as vice governor of Nanay Baby. But’s let ask Mikey about it first, I respect his decision to run for vice governor,” said Dungca, referring to Ang Galing Partylist Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo who earlier announced his plans to run for vice governor.
Arroyo is the eldest son of former President and now second district Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Asked for his comments, Arroyo failed to answer through his long-time aide based in Angeles City.
Allies of the first-term governor, including two mayors, said Dungca “is the wise choice as vice governor of Pineda considering his closeness to Pampanga’s first family.”
“Dungca’s loyalty to the Pinedas is unquestionable. Aside from that, Dungca is easy to sell to the voters because he is kind and easy to get along with,” said a mayor of a fourth district town.
Dungca shied away from the limelight after finishing his third term as mayor in 2010. His eldest son, Ron Ron Dungca, ran for mayor but lost Jomar Hizon.
Mayors Chito Espino of Arayat and Mayor Teddy Tumang of Mexico had earlier expressed their respective intentions to run for vice governor. They are both in their third and last terms.
