CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Sen. Lito Lapid formally announced here yesterday his plan to run anew for governor of this province, amid a challenge from Gov. Eddie Panlilio to explain to Kapampangans the “missing” P568-million lahar quarry funds during his and his son Mark’s administrations.
Lapid called for a press conference to announce his bid for the gubernatorial post he filled for three terms from 1995 to 2004, accompanied by Lea Dizon whom he introduced as his vice gubernatorial running mate. Both of them are natives of Porac town which is within Pres. Arroyo’s second district.
While he could still run for a last term as senator, Lapid said he has realized he felt “more comfortable being closer to the people”.
“The senate is for legislation and there are good lawyers there. I am just a high school graduate,” he said in a press conference he held in Tagalog.
Lapid said he expected to be named as the official gubernatorial candidate of Lakas-CMD as he expressed doubts that his party could unite with the Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino (Kampi) at the local level. “I am the most senior Lakas member in the province,” he noted.
Panlilio and Vice Gov. Joseller Guiao had filed separate charges of plunder against the Lapids on allegations they pocketed funds from lahar quarry operations in Pampanga.
Lapid appealed to the media to refrain from bringing out the so-called quarry scam issue. He said he had already been absolved by the Ombudsman in similar case filed earlier against him. “We (he and son) did no one harm. We just wanted to be left alone serving the people,” he added.
Reacting to Lapid’s announcement, Panlilio said “it’s a welcome move. He has all the rights to seek a return to governorship.”
But Panlilio also vowed to pursue the plunder charges he filed earlier this year against Lapid and his son Mark who had been Pampanga governor from 2004 to 2007. The charges were based on allegations that they enriched themselves from the provincial government’s lahar quarrying operations.
“I will definitely pursue the case either as a public official or a private citizen,” Panlilio vowed.
Lapid introduced his running mate as her “leading lady in politics”. Dizon, daughter of a prominent family in local real estate, took up business management in the Universidad de Europeo and marketing in the University of Barcelona.
Lapid’s press conference initially turned out to be one for his forthcoming movie, together with movie actors Ronnie Rickets and director Baldo Maro, even as local media who were told to proceed to the restaurant venue here as early a 9 a.m. awaited for Lapid’s political declaration. By noon, however, movie reporters were still tackling Lapid’s movie project.
“This presages another possible Lapid administration based on script and acting,” said one of the local journalists who asked not to be quoted.
Asked what his most notable achievement in the Senate was, Lapid cited a law which he co-authored, providing free legal assistance to the poor.
Lapid also said that his son Mark has no political plans for next year’s elections and seemed “content” with his present post as head of the newly formed Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, formerly the Philippine Tourist Authority (PTA) which has a fixed term of six years.
Lapid called for a press conference to announce his bid for the gubernatorial post he filled for three terms from 1995 to 2004, accompanied by Lea Dizon whom he introduced as his vice gubernatorial running mate. Both of them are natives of Porac town which is within Pres. Arroyo’s second district.
While he could still run for a last term as senator, Lapid said he has realized he felt “more comfortable being closer to the people”.
“The senate is for legislation and there are good lawyers there. I am just a high school graduate,” he said in a press conference he held in Tagalog.
Lapid said he expected to be named as the official gubernatorial candidate of Lakas-CMD as he expressed doubts that his party could unite with the Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino (Kampi) at the local level. “I am the most senior Lakas member in the province,” he noted.
Panlilio and Vice Gov. Joseller Guiao had filed separate charges of plunder against the Lapids on allegations they pocketed funds from lahar quarry operations in Pampanga.
Lapid appealed to the media to refrain from bringing out the so-called quarry scam issue. He said he had already been absolved by the Ombudsman in similar case filed earlier against him. “We (he and son) did no one harm. We just wanted to be left alone serving the people,” he added.
Reacting to Lapid’s announcement, Panlilio said “it’s a welcome move. He has all the rights to seek a return to governorship.”
But Panlilio also vowed to pursue the plunder charges he filed earlier this year against Lapid and his son Mark who had been Pampanga governor from 2004 to 2007. The charges were based on allegations that they enriched themselves from the provincial government’s lahar quarrying operations.
“I will definitely pursue the case either as a public official or a private citizen,” Panlilio vowed.
Lapid introduced his running mate as her “leading lady in politics”. Dizon, daughter of a prominent family in local real estate, took up business management in the Universidad de Europeo and marketing in the University of Barcelona.
Lapid’s press conference initially turned out to be one for his forthcoming movie, together with movie actors Ronnie Rickets and director Baldo Maro, even as local media who were told to proceed to the restaurant venue here as early a 9 a.m. awaited for Lapid’s political declaration. By noon, however, movie reporters were still tackling Lapid’s movie project.
“This presages another possible Lapid administration based on script and acting,” said one of the local journalists who asked not to be quoted.
Asked what his most notable achievement in the Senate was, Lapid cited a law which he co-authored, providing free legal assistance to the poor.
Lapid also said that his son Mark has no political plans for next year’s elections and seemed “content” with his present post as head of the newly formed Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, formerly the Philippine Tourist Authority (PTA) which has a fixed term of six years.
