Presidential cousin and Paniqui Mayor Miguel Rivilla does not think so, especially now that the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), founded by presidential uncle business tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco has adopted presidentiable Grace Poe as its candidate.
“The fact is Tarlac has remained a bailiwick of the Cojuangcos and by their NPC party. If there is party opposition to the NPC, it is President Erap’s (Ex-Pres. Joseph Estrada’s) PMP (Partido ng Masang Pilipino),” he said here in a forum with the Capampangans in Media, Inc. (CAMI).
In Tarlac’s gubernatorial race, the dominant candidates are Susan Yap of NPC and Ace Manalang of PMP.
There were reports that last year, the President himself had asked NPC leaders in the province not to swear in new members, but Rivilla would neither confirm nor deny this.
Rivilla said that the administration’s LP has only two active members. He identified them as former Capas Mayor Rey Catacutan who served as operations vice president of the Clark International Airport Corp. and one Saklulu Henrado.
“I don’t think Mar Roxas will win (in Tarlac). It will be a fight between here,” he said. Binay is reportedly being supported by some PMP candidates in the province.
Rivilla, who is running as independent for Tarlac vice governor, also said that Tarlaqueno Sen. Bam Aquino is known to be campaigning not for Poe’s vice presidential candidate Chiz Escudero, but for Roxas’s tandem Leni Robredo.
