The incumbent ‘under dog’

By Gerry Garcia

OSCAR Lambino, provincial chairman of Administration party LAKAS-CMD, is also the incumbent Vice Governor of the province . . . by which position, as gleaned from party Boss Speaker JdV’s recent enunciation of the “doctrine of the equity of the incumbent” as the party’s ruling principle in its choice of party bets, he has the edge over all his rivals for the top post in the coming May elections.

If this is the guiding rule of the party in the choice of candidates for governors, congressmen and mayors all over the country, no one, much less the party boss himself could say the province could be an exception to the rule simply because the wife of the incumbent governor, Dr. Jamie Eloise Manzano, is considering running for the post. Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino, who is an incumbnet official, is rabidly emphatic about this, saying Jamie is only the wife of the incumbent governor, but not a member of LAKAS-CMD.

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It probably was the VM’s threat to jump ship if he’s given a raw deal… that prompted the tactful JdV’s offer of the use of diplomacy to avert an impending mess.

Oscar though has a point in claim in attention to what he had been and done in public service for the last decades. He had been mayor of Malasiqui for eleven long years, eloquent testimony to his popularity and the quality of the projects he undertook to enhance his hometown’s rise from 3rd to 1st class.

For 9 years too, Oscar effectively played second fiddle to Governor Agbayani as Vice Governor, like watching over the capitol as the Governor is often in Manila.

Far from lamenting his lack of financial resources, enough to sustain an extensive campaign, Lambino feels he does not need P200M to advertise himself because he believes his track record, bereft of taints of corruption, will speak for itself.

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Furthermore, Oscar is confident of victory in the polls, considering that he has the support of   “Bebot” Villar’s Biskeg ng Pangasinan, Villar being the province’s reputed “king-maker” as well as his kamaganak.

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/here-and-there/)

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