by Lincoln M. Baluyut
Lazatins here to stay; Who against who
Incumbent Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. will be the city mayor for a long time. This came to light after former three-termer mayor Ed Pamintuan declined the offer of friends and supporters to run in the coming 2022 elections and decided that he will continue to be called Citizen Ed.
With this development, no one else, that has the guts and popularity as that of Edpam, can challenge Mayor Pogi at this stage. And I can say no one in his right mind will even think of challenging him now.
Politically, this pandemic just made Pogi more popular than ever. For the last 2 1/2 years, he has been outside, going from barangay to barangay, doing what he does best: help his constituents and the city the best way he can.
Even Vice-Mayor Vicky Vega-Kabigting will be riding on the mayor’s popularity and will win her second term under Pogi’s umbrella.
These are my predictions for Angeles City.
I couldn’t say the same for his councilors, though. There are new faces but their parents’ names might help them win. Definitely, there will be former aldermen that will give them a good fight, like Marang Morales, the Indiongcos, even Bryan Nepo and Edu Pamintuan can make a comeback to claim one of the seats at City Council.
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While in San Fernando, it’s a three-way fight between Board Member Rosve Henson, who is being supported by the Capitol, Barangay Chairman Vilma Caluag and Vice-Mayor Jimmy Lazatin. BM Henson has a slight edge but don’t count on that as Vilma has her own machinery that can propel her to the mayorship.
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In Mabalacat, it’s also a three-way fight.
Incumbent Mayor Cris Garbo with Atty. Gerald Guttrie Aquino as his running mate will be squaring it off against former mayor Marino “Boking” Morales with Christian Halili as his vice-mayor and veteran newsman/broadcaster Deng Pangilinan who will be running as an independent candidate.
Deng is not only going after the seat of Garbo but will also be going against his benefactor-ninong Boking, under whom he served as general manager of the Mabalacat Water District under.
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In Porac, incumbent Mayor Jing Capil will be going up against come backing former mayor Carling dela Cruz. There is still no word from the Lapid camp as to who they’re going to field to run for mayor.
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In Magalang town, it will be Mayora Malu Lacson going against incumbent Mayor Romulo Pecson who beat her by a small margin in the last elections. This will be a return bout.
But a dark horse looms in the corner in the person of Capas Tarlac Chief of Staff Edgar Guevarra who will make the mayoralty race in the town interesting.
