CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Mayor Oscar Rodriguez said on Tuesday that it was the “prerogative” of his vice mayor to choose his running-mate for the 2013 elections.
“Kung totoo man iyon, prerogative ni Edsa (Vice Mayor Edwin Santiago) iyon as mayoralty candidate. (If that is true, it’s the prerogative of EDSA as the candidate for mayor),” said Rodriguez in a SMS txt message sent to this reporter.
This came as Santiago declined to comment on reported choice of Councilor Renato “Ato” Agustin as his running mate in next year’s local elections.
“I am pre-occupied with work,” said Santiago in a phone interview on Wednesday. He served as Rodriguez’s vice mayor for three straight terms beginning 2004.
The three-term mayor, who has yet to announce his political plans for 2013, said “pareho namang sumusuporta sa amin and dalawang iyon (both of them are supportive of us),” referring to Agustin and Councilor Jimmy Lazatin who has been a loyal Rodriguez-Santiago supporter since entering city politics in 2004.
“Kaya lang, isa lang ang puwedeng kunin,” Rodriguez lamented.
In many events at city hall, including at a recent flag-raising ceremony, Rodriguez has “bundled” Santiago and Lazatin as the tandem for 2013.
Washing his hands off the reported choice of Agustin as Santiago’s vice mayor, Rodriguez stressed:
“Di ako nakialam sa pagpili. Kung nakapili na nga ng vice mayor. (I didn’t have any hand in the choice, if indeed a choice has been made).”
