(Photo grab from iOrbit)
ANGELES CITY— Will former councilor and BB International Leisure and Resort Development Corp. (BBI) president Irineo “Bong”Alvaro run for mayor of this chartered city next year?
Alvaro is now better known as a heavy investor at Clark Freeport where his BBI firm put up Midori Hotel and Casino and the high-end Aqua Planet.
Voters here have been juggling five names in the 2019 mayoralty race: Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president Alex Cauguiran, Vice Mayor Bryan Nepomuceno, Balibago barangay chairman Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin Sr. or son Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr, and Alvaro. Of the five, only Cauguiran has announced his mayoral plans.
Nepomuceno has so far declined to comment, while the Lazatins have yet to be reached.
Punto, however, sought Alvaro’s response to the report. “I am only a spare tire, sir. Pag alang lumaban keng group mi I am ready. But personally, I don’t have any plans of running at this time. I am still busy finishing some of my projects. Marami kumakausap sa akin pero mas malaki ang responsibility ko sa pribado, sir, “ he said in reply to questions fielded by Punto via internet.
Asked what group he was referring to, Alvaro replied: “Deng grupo ming former barangay captains inyang first term ng EdPam (Mayor Pamintuan) ampo deng NGO’s where I belong. Like the urban poor and labor. Active la pa kasi deti. “ Then Alvaro sprayed his declarations with a series of dots.
“Masakit magsalitang tapos,“ he said.
Then he smashed any impression of certainty, saying: “Pero anggat aiwasan ke, iwasan ke. I think I have served enough the city already. I dedicated a decade of unblemished service to the Angeleño.“
Look straight into his eyes without reading his lips.