Fight. The “Buddy Team” led by Former Mayor Dungca and Vice Mayor Canlas at the filing of COC on Wednesday in Bacolor, Pampanga. Photo by Ric Gonzales
BACOLOR, Pampanga – “It’s a difficult fight but we must not give up to win for the sake of the Bacolorenos, especially the poor ones.”
Thus said former three-term Mayor Romeo “Buddy” Dungca shortly after he and running mate Vice Mayor Ananais “Jun” Canlas lrf their team in filing their respective certificates of candidacy (COC) before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office here on Wednesday.
Dungca stressed that “the difficulty is in the existence of (alleged) flying voters numbering at least 7,000.”
“It will be very unfair if it’s not the real people of Bacolor who will elect their leaders,” added the 46-years-old Mapua Institute Technology (MIT) graduate of management and industrial engineering.
Dungca appealed to barangays captains and officials in the town’s 21 villages to fight the “mangling of democracy” and “uphold the true will of the people.”
Earlier, Canlas and former Board Member Ferdinand Labung filed disqualification proceedings against applicants for voters registration in Barangay Sta. Barbara here. They vowed to file more cases against flying voters, including those who were able to vote in 2010.
Dungca said he was compelled to seek his old post anew because there “was a common complaint from people that it’s very hard to get help from the municipal hall, especially those needing immediate attention.”
Dungca also lashed at the “significant reduction of scholarships after he ended his last term in 2010.”
“Education ends poverty. Education stops crime. Education propels pro-gress. More importantly, education makes humans human,” said Dungca.
Former Lubao Mayor Dennis Pineda, friend of Dungca who is expected run for vice governor in 2013, attended the COC filing of the so-called “Buddy Team.”
His councilors include incumbents Efren “Steekie” Blanco, Darwin Angeles, Teddy Quizon and Armin Manahan and former Councilor Nilo Caballa, Joel Samia, Rimando Gozun and Alex Canlas.
Several people, including town hall workers, welcomed Dungca, Canlas and their eight councilors.
It was a festive mood as Dungca’s team danced with their supporters from the San Guillermo Parish Church on the way to the Comelec office.
