ANGELES CITY – Alexander Cauguiran is set to take his oath of affiliation to the Pampanga-ruling Kambilan Party today (Friday) at the Rib Eye Function Hall in Barangay Pulung Maragul here.
Romeo “Buddy” Dungca, Jr., secretary-general of Kambilan, will administer the oath of affiliation to Cauguiran to be witnessed by Kambilan party stalwarts, provincial board members Rosve Henson and Ananias ‘Jun” Canlas, Jr.
“This is a welcome development, especially from Kambilan’s perspective,” Henson said in welcoming Cauguiran to the party.
Cauguiran, president of the Partido Abe Kapampangan (PAK), has been endorsed by the party in during its Sept. 13 general assembly of over 500 members as its mayoralty candidate in this highly urbanized chartered city in next year’s polls.
On Sept. 20, another general assembly of PAK with an attendance of some 800 members different from the first assembly and presided over by PAK chairman Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan selected Vice Mayor Bryan Matthew Nepomuceno as its candidate for mayor and councilor Edgardo “Edu” Pamintuan as his running mate.
This has led to division within the party that, an insider said, “threatened its electoral efficacy” in the next elections.
Dr. Irene Mae L. Manabat, PAK secretary-general, said Cauguiran will be joined by about 700 officers and members of the PAK in taking their oath to Kambilan.
Cauguiran refused to make a statement on Thursday saying he will only make a declaration today after the oath taking.
Kambilan is a Kapampangan word which means “Kalasag” in Filipino and “shield” in English.
Kambilan is also an acronym for “Kapanalig at Kambilan ding Memalen Pampanga (Ally and Shield of the People of Pampanga)” that Gov. Lilia G. Pineda founded in 2007. The party recently entered into an alliance with the Hugpong Ng Pagbabago (HNP) Party chaired by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
