MABALACAT CITY — Independent mayoral candidate Deng T. Pangilinan decried Wednesday “the apparent alliance of Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo and former Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales” to thwart his own bid for the mayorship.
Pangilinan said Garbo included in his slate for the city council Boking’s daughter, the city’s Association of Barangay Captain’s president Marjorie Morales-Sambo, while Boking in turn is supporting the bid of Garbo’s daughter, Wynwyn, for a seat in the sangguniang panlalawigan.
Incumbent Mayor Garbo is seeking reelection under the local administration party Kambilan.
Boking who served for 22 years as Mabalacat mayor filed his certificate of candidacy for mayor last Oct. 8 under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas.
“Matagal na nilang [Garbo and Morales] pinaglalaruan ang mga Mabalaqueno at pareho silang nagsilbi ng mahigit pa sa 20-25 years sa gobyerno. Hindi pa ba sila kumita?” asked Pangilinan in a press release sent to local media.
“Kailangan po siguro ay buwagin na ang tambalang GarBoKING at alisin na ang mga pamilyang ito na matagal ng nasa kapangyarihan pero umunlad ba ang Mabalacat? Gumanda ba ang buhay ng mga Mabalaqueños?” he furthered.
“Planado ang pagtakbo ni Boking bilang ‘vote splitter’ para basagin ang mga boto ko dahil hindi nagtagumpay si Garbo at Boking na paatrasin ako sa laban na ‘to.”
Pictures of Pangilinan and Garbo talking circulated in social media prior to the filing of COCs, purporting that the mayor attempted to dissuade the local broadcaster from running against him.
Garbo prays
Asked for its side of the issue raised by Pangilinan, the camp of Mayor Garbo, through Jay Pelayo IV, sent this response:
“Kamukha po ng nasabi ni Mayor Cris Garbo noong nag-file siya ng kanyang COC, wala po siyang sasabihing masama laban sa mga may planong manira sa kanya ngayong kampanya at sa halip ay ipagdarasal na lamang niya ang mga ito.
Lahat ng mga qualified aspirants ay maari naman tumakbo.”
“Nakalimutan yata ng bumatikos na ang anak ng kanyang ninong at dating alkalde ay kumakandidato rin bilang board member ng unang distrito,” furthered Pelayo, referencing to Pangilinan being a godson of Morales and the former mayor’s son, incumbent Mabalacat City councilor Dwight Morales also running for the provincial board.
Morales cannot be contacted for his comment as of press time.
