INQUIRER.net Eleksyon 2007

In Tarlac: No opposition, unified slate, free zone

Inquirer

Jo Martinez-Clemente

TARLAC CITY--Except for Tarlac Rep. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, who is running for senator under the Genuine Opposition, there is hardly any opposition ticket in Tarlac in the May 14 elections.

Neither is there a unified slate for the administration coalition's Lakas-CMD, Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) and Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) nor a declaration that Tarlac will be a "zona libre" (free zone).

As in days of old, Tarlac once more is divided between two blocs of the powerful Cojuangco clan. This time, both are in the same political coalition.

On one side is the NPC-Lakas group led by Rep. Gilberto Cojuangco Teodoro Jr. (NPC, first district) and Gov. Jose Yap (Lakas). On the other is Kampi, led by former Rep. Jose "Peping" Cojuangco Jr.

Both groups believe their slates carry Malacañang's blessings; thus, it is not a "free zone" among contenders of the administration allies.

On Wednesday, Kampi stalwarts led by its chair, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, will visit Tarlac to induct new members of the party, as well as distribute party nominations to its candidates. Among them are Patricia Jose "China" Cojuangco and some incumbent mayors who had already been given party nominations by Lakas and NPC.

China is the youngest daughter of Peping Cojuangco and former Gov. Margarita "Tingting" Cojuangco. The couple, President Macapagal-Arroyo, former Rizal Rep. Emigdio Tanjuatco Jr. and former Tarlac Rep. Herminio Aquino are the founding members of Kampi.

China is being pitted against the NPC's Monica Louise "Nikki" Prieto-Teodoro, a cousin-in-law, in the first congressional district. Nikki is the wife of Congressman Teodoro, who is serving his last term.

This impending battle between the Cojuangcos is the fourth since 1965.
The first was when Peping and estranged cousin, former Ambassador Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco, fought it out in the first district where "Danding was clobbered by Peping."

It was a return bout between the cousins in 1969, but Peping withdrew his candidacy "to preserve peace and order" in the district. He pulled out on condition that the district be placed under the Commission on Elections' control and that the Constabulary detachment in his district be replaced by another group chosen by the Comelec.

In 1992, Danding's younger bother, Henry, clashed with Tingting for the gubernatorial post. Tingting won.

No 'zona libre'
Tarlac is no zona libre as the candidates for key positions in the province had long been settled by an arbitration committee composed of the presidents of the various parties in the coalition, according to Teodoro.

He said a complete slate would be fielded as he confirmed that his wife would file her certificate of candidacy regardless of who her opponent would be. His wife's candidacy has been endorsed by mayors and the administration coalition, he said.

Former Victoria Vice Mayor Victor Yap, the Lakas-NPC gubernatorial candidate, said he and third congressional district candidate Jeci Aquino Lapus had been endorsed by Ms Arroyo during her recent visit to Concepcion town.

Yap, 41, is a son and executive assistant of Governor Yap. He is a director of the Clark Development Corp. Lapus, on the other hand, is a younger brother of Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, whose final term as Tarlac representative was cut short with his appointment. The younger Lapus is a director of Philippine National Oil Co.

But Governor Yap chided Kampi officials for having "unauthorized signatories" in their nomination forms. Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte, Kampi president, is the only one authorized to sign them, he said.

Yap said he could also get a Kampi nomination if he wanted to. Ms Arroyo has approved the inclusion of Kampi, Lakas and NPC in their campaign materials, he said.

Yap, 78, is serving his last term for governor and will run for representative of the second district. He had represented the district for five terms.

Ms Arroyo's endorsement of his son and Jeci Lapus was a manifestation that Tarlac is not a free zone, he said.

Even as Kampi readies its full slate, its provincial spokesperson, Rey Roy, said talks were ongoing on a "higher level" to prevent a clash among members of the coalition.

"It is important for the national leadership to be able to field a unified ticket in Tarlac because that is the very essence of a coalition and our calls for unity, especially so for a province where many national leaders come from," he said.

"That is why even as we are ready to fight and field a full slate, we are still batting for a unified ticket," he said.

Consolidation
Roy, a former Tarlac board member, was originally nominated by Kampi as its candidate for governor. He is the grandson of the late Sen. Jose Roy and son of former Vice Gov. Alfonso Roy.

With the entry of China Cojuangco in the congressional race and Kampi's big bang in Tarlac a day before the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy, it is likely that Peping will run for governor with Roy as his running mate.

Quiet the last nine years in local politics since his wife Tingting was defeated by the elder Yap in the 1998 gubernatorial race, Peping will not be giving up the province to the Yaps again.

In 1998, after completing three terms in the House of Representatives, Yap, a long-time friend of the late former Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. and staunch ally of the Cojuangcos (Peping's side), realigned with Danding and won over Tingting in what was described as the fiercest political battle in the province in the post-Marcos era.

Yap also fielded his son, Victor, against Noynoy, a gesture that deeply hurt the Aquino and Cojuangco families. During the presidency of Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, Yap was appointed head of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.

With Peping reconsidering his plan to run for governor, many incumbent officials are joining or rejoining Kampi, Roy said.

Victor Yap said he had seen this coming. "It is just good luck to all. I guess he (Peping) had it all calculated," he said.

Aquino vs Aquino
The same scenario among relatives is likely to happen in the third district.

Trying to get back an old post is former Rep. Herminio Aquino, who is running under Kampi. But Jeci Lapus, who filed his COC last week, said that while he submitted a Lakas nomination to the Comelec, he also had a Kampi nomination signed by Villafuerte, as well as a written manifestation of support from the administration coalition's arbitration committee.

Aquino ran for vice president in 2004 alongside the late Sen. Raul Roco, the standard-bearer of Aksyon Demokratiko.

Now a director of Petron, Aquino represented the district for three terms before Jesli Lapus, a relative, was elected.

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