CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Pampanga Mayors League (PML) secretary general and Floridablanca Mayor Eduardo Guerrero said yesterday that 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo “should seek her second term in office in next year’s elections” amid alleged “clamor” from her constituents.
Guerrero said that Arroyo’s constituents are “clamoring for her continued service as representative of the second district comprising the towns of Floridablanca, Porac, Lubao, Sta. Rita, Guagua and Sasmuan.”
“It is the people who want her to run for a second term so that she could continue her family’s legacy of public service. We hope that she will overcome these trials in terms of her health. We are behind her and pray for her,” Guerrero said.
He said that as a legislator the former president has always been in the forefront in delivering services to her cabalens in her district. “Di naman napabayaan kaming mga ka distrito ni CGMA who, despite her absence, continues to deliver services to us thru her son and staff.”
She has “the wisdom and capability of a true leader, and she can be assured that we will always support her in her service of the people of the 2nd district,” Guerrero added.
This even as two groups have appealed to Kapampangans to “frustrate” her plans to seek reelection in the second district of this province.
The fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and its staunch ally Anakpawis party have filed plunder charges against Arroyo before the Ombudsman in 2010.
“The rejection of Arroyo’s fresh bid for a second term next year is a tall order, but it is a historic opportunity for the people of Pampanga to uphold truth, justice and accountability.”
During Arroyo’s visit to Porac town in her district last Friday, her spokesperson Elena Bautista Horn confirmed the former president would run for reelection in 2013. Earlier, Arroyo posted a P1 million bail on the electoral sabotage case against her.
In a joint statement, Pamalakaya vice chairperson Salvador France and Anakpawis party list vice chairperson Fernando Hicap said “We are confident our countrymen in Pampanga will rise above the occasion and score a giant kill against the sinister agenda of the Arroyo camp to repeatedly exploit Congress as a political sanctuary.”
Pamalakaya and Anakpawis asserted that Malacañang gave the blessings for Arroyo’s political plans.
“Arroyo’s re-election bid has the seal of approval of Malacañang. Of course, Pres. Aquino will deny this, but action speaks louder than words.
The granting of P 1 million bail to GMA due to a weak electoral sabotage case is a goodwill measure towards bigger political accommodation of the Arroyo camp,” the two groups’ statement said.
They had urged the First Division of the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court to immediately issue a warrant of arrest against Arroyo basing on the plunder case they filed against her for the alleged misuse of funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes office.
In January 2010, Pamalakaya and Anakpawis filed a plunder case against Arroyo in connection with the P455-million allegedly overpriced ice-making machines purchased during her administration.
On December 7, 2011, Pamalakaya and Anakpawis urged the Ombudsman to investigate same plunder case not only against Arroyo but this time also against other officials of the Department of Agricuture (DA), the National Agribusiness Corporation (Nabcor) and the DA’s Bids and Awards Committee.
Pamalakaya and Anakpawis asserted the 98 ice-making machines procured in January 2010 were overpriced by 100 percent or by P 2.3 million per unit, causing taxpayers to pay P 4.6 million per unit.
The case has remained pending with the Ombudsman.
