ANGELES CITY – A “far better choice” than the announced contender, and “the one that will give the incumbent a run for his money.”
Thus perennial congressional candidate and one-time presidential wannabe Luisito “Chito” Bacani, 70, declared he would run again for the first district congressional seat in 2013.
Bacani said he is in “superior position” to challenge incumbent Rep. Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin than Vice Gov. Joseller “Yeng” Guiao who has made public his intent to run in the first district.
Guiao is on his last term as vice governor while Lazatin is eyeing his third term in the House.
Bacani twitted Guiao for “below par performance” as vice governor, saying “the coach was always not around for the people.”
“Physical presence is the basic thing a public servant must give his constituency. As Guiao is short in this, dapat mag-basketball na lang siya,” said Bacani.
Guiao is a professional basketball coach in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
Bacani is himself a sportsman, at one-time a prodigious chess player known for playing simultaneous board games at the roof deck of the old public market in Barangay San Nicolas. At times, the games lasted for as long as three days with the players shunning sleep altogether.
Of his running anew, Bacani said the first district electorate should “be given the widest latitude of choice of the best possible candidates.”
“I am a better candidate equipped with moral ascendency and fresh ideas beneficial to the public,” said Bacani in an interview.
Bacani’s legislative agenda in his 2010 run included the deputization of barangay chairmen as notaries and custodians of those convicted for minor offenses, among many others.
In his presidential run in 2004, Bacani batted for the creation of a “gravity train” which uses the force of gravity rather than fossil fuels or electricity to run, the declaration of Angeles City as exclusive enclave of all nightclubs, bars and other entertainment joints, and the fixed rate of P5 as bus fare between Angeles City and Manila, among many others.
A “compassionate government” will top Bacani’s agenda in his 2013 campaign.
In line with this, has scored the Aquino administration for what he called “one-sided” investigation on the Arroyos, including former President and now Pampanga Second District Rep. Gloria Arroyo, which, he said, derailed the growth of the country.
“No, it’s not that I am sympathizing with the Arroyos. We just have to rule and govern with a heart,” said Bacani.
“If someone is found guilty of stealing from the government, he or she must just be asked to return all the loot.
Then they will be asked to do community service. That’s a compassionate society, tempered with justice,” Bacani added.
