CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Mayor Oscar “Oca” Rodriguez announced on Monday that his priority was to run for congressman in 2013, challenging Third District Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales who abandoned the party of former President Gloria Arroyo early this year.
“As a representative, I may have a voice in Congress for the benefit of my constituents,” said Rodriguez during the Christmas party with Pampanga journalists here.
The incumbent mayor was a former third district congressman before winning three straight terms as mayor beginning 2004.
However, Rodriguez stressed that he is a “party man and will wait for blessings from the Liberal Party.”
He is also the president of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) and won several international and local awards as mayor of the component city, notably in improving the economy of the city and operations of the city hall.
Political pundits said the “Rodriguez’s advantage” is his close relationship with President Aquino who is enjoying high approval rating from the public for his all-out war against graft and corruption.
“Mayor Oca is the only threat to the last term of Dong Gonzales as solon. More importantly, we have to remember that Rodriguez is known for being a wise and effective leader and at the same time his political career is graft and corruption-free,” said Percival Santos of Barangay Sindalan who is regularly reading Punto Central Luzon and other local newspapers for the latest on Pampanga politics.
Rodriguez left the then ruling Lakas-Kampi party headed by Rep. Arroyo to join the LP just before the 2010 presidential elections. He is known as one of the architects of the big win of Aquino in Pampanga, garnering some 1 million votes during the first automated 2010 elections.
A former human rights lawyer, Rodriguez was also close to the late former President Corazon Aquino, mother of the incumbent president.
