That is the aspiration of former mayor, former congressman Carmelo “Tarzan” F. Lazatin to retake the Angeles City mayorship anew.
Lazatin said he considered returning to politics “to put a stop to the corruption in the (current) city government.”
“Kasi karumal-dumal ing eganaganang pamangawan da reng kekatang opisyal (Because everything that our officials are doing is gross),” he said. “If we love Angeles, we should make a stand.”
“Pagawa kang malating building, kailangan mamye kapamu (If you construct even a small building, you fi rst have to give them something),” he lamented.
However, Lazatin said he will not run for mayor anymore if Alex Cauguiran is in the running. “Nung y Pareng Alex ing tagal, eku tagal. Magaling yang masyadu y Pareng Alex (If Pareng Alex is in the running I will not run. Pareng Alex is too good),” he remarked.
Cauguiran currently sits as president-CEO of the Clark International Airport Corp. but has expressed his ambition to be city mayor.
When asked if he has any running mate in mind, Lazatin said “dakal la reng vice kasi panenayan dakung mate patse sinambut ku (there are a lot of vice (mayors) because they will just wait for me to die if I win),” he quipped.
Lazatin made the announcement during the media forum News@ Hues organized by the Pampanga Press Club in cooperation with Park Inn Hotel by Radisson Clark at the SM City Clark complex here on Tuesday.
At 83 years old, Lazatin said he has already opted to retire from politics. But nobody is lifting a finger to combat what he said is the massive corruption at city hall that is why he is forced to run for mayor.
“Buri ku mag-retire naku pero itang akakit tamung malilyari ngeni keng kasalukuyan mayor a pamangawan da deng kayang minions siguro mapilitan kung tagal pero nung ing tagal pasibayu maka saup yang talaga keng balen enaku tagal (I really wanted to retire. But from the way I look at what is happening in the present mayor and the things that his minions are doing, I will be forced to run again but again if the one running is a good and can really help the city I won’t run),” Lazatin said.
Ghost employees
In a July 10 press release, Lazatin has accused the city government of massive corruption especially with the hiring of alleged “ghost employees” which number at least 7,000.
Lazatin said during his stint as a three-term mayor of the city from 1998 to 2007, the city government had already started using automated teller machine (ATM) card to its employees to collect their salaries.
However, Lazatin said it was stopped when Francis “Blueboy” Nepomuceno became mayor of the city in 2007 and the old practice of giving cash for salaries was again followed until now.
Lazatin said despite an annual budget of P1.7 billion, “ala lang agagawa (they have not done anything).”
He said “what they have are ghost employees which number to about 7,000 that is why he feels sorry for the Angelenos because the benefits and services that is due to them are not being delivered.”
Meanwhile, Lazatin said he will start his comeback by running for barangay captain in the coming barangay elections even if he gets only 80 percent. “That will be a big thing,” he said.
Lazatin’s two sons, Angeles City Councilor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin and 1st District Rep. Jonjon Lazatin, who flanked him during the forum, both said they will support the political plans of their father 100 percent.
