GUAGUA, Pampanga – Prof. Randy David, Pres. Arroyo’s challenger in the congressional race in this province’s second district, said yesterday that what she failed to declare in her state-of-the-nation address (SONA) bolstered suspicions she would run for Congress in next year’s elections.
In a telephone interview with Punto, David noted that this possibility was left open by the President when she failed to categorically state she would retire from government after her term ends next year.
Thus, David, who has vowed to run for Congress against the President, challenged Mrs. Arroyo to engage in a public debate with him in the towns of the second district in the event of their political clash.
"I am not thinking about the (financial) cost of running. No one can match the resources she can have at her disposal. I don’t have such resources, but I don’t believe in that kind of politics, patronage politics that buys people and their votes," he said.
The second district is composed of the President’s hometown in Lubao which has the biggest voting population of 74,815 voters, Guagua with 57,575 voters, Floridablanca with 48,521 voters, Porac with 47,977 voters, Sta. Rita with 21,870 voters and Sasmuan with 20,002 voters. David is from Guagua.
David said that despite lack of financial resources, he has remained confident he would beat the President in the congressional race. "I have more than just a fighting chance," he said.
"As a sociologist, I know how Kapampangans who pioneered as overseas Filipino workers have brought home with them modernist vision on responsible citizenship and choosing responsible leaders," he said.
"I hope she will be decent enough to accept my challenge for open public debates. We can use Kapampangan, English or Tagalog as she may wish," he added.
David lamented the failure of the President to declare her political options in next year’s elections.
"The global crisis is easing up abroad and there is now much capital looking for a destination. The Philippines could be a recipient of that capital, but there remains political uncertainty in the country," he lamented.
The President, he noted, could have removed such uncertainty had she categorically declared she would leave politics after her term ends next year.
At the same time, David said he has not yet met with the group of Gov. Eddie Panlilio who earlier said the group initially considered another person to be fielded in the congressional race in case the President seeks the post.
David said that such meeting is not yet timely as the campaign period has not yet started and the President has not announced her decision to seek the congressional seat in Pampanga.
