CLARK FREEPORT – “I’m preparing for a comeback but as of the moment, I’m not yet 100 percent sure.”
Thus, said former Pampanga 1st District congressman and now coach of the NLEx Road Warriors Joseller “Yeng” Guiao as he weighed his decision whether to run in next year’s polls for his former post.
“It’s still 50/50,” Guiao said during the regular media forum “Balitaan” organized by the Capampangan in Media, Inc. in cooperation with the Clark Development Corp. at the Bale Balita here last Friday.
Guiao said there are basically two things he is considering: “One, if the present congressman is doing a good job representing our district well and we are getting what is due to us and it is in line with our other advocacies; if he is performing well in congress then you have to respect that.”
“Two, do the people still want me back? Is there still a clamor?” he asked.
“Because if they don’t like you anymore, no matter how you push yourself, you will not win. But again, how do you determine that?”
“You can either conduct a survey or run the risks of exposing yourself by going directly to the people to ask them like organizing community caucuses,” Guiao said.
“I went around because I helped some people in the last (barangay) elections for supporting me in the past. I only returned the favor for their support,” he said.
“But if you asked them, that will expose yourself and they will think that you are already campaigning even if it is just really finding out,” he noted.
“If I run, do you still want me? Can I still get your support? Or are you happy with the present dispensation?”
As of the moment, it is becoming a three-cornered fight in the first district congressional race with incumbent Rep. Carmelo “Jonjon” Lazatin, Angeles City Mayor Ed Pamintuan and Guiao.
However, Guiao observed that Pamintuan did not support any candidate in Magalang town or even in Mabalacat City which comprise the two other LGUs of the first district.
In Angeles City, Pamintuan supported only a few candidates, he noted. “It seems he suddenly went cold,” he observed. But what has Lazatin done? He asked.
“Based on some of my friends in congress, he (Lazatin) seems to be silent. Eman kanu mag salita (He doesn’t even talk),” he said. “Eman kanu mag attend committee hearing (He doesn’t even attend committee hearings),” he added.
