LINGAYEN–United they stand, divided they fall.

Knowing the old adage too well, members of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) in Pangasinan moved to diffuse tension and a possible break-up among their leaders by proposing a tandem between Vice Governor Oscar Lambino and Dr. Jamie Eloise Manzano-Agbayani in the May 14 polls.

They are now drafting a letter addressed to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, party chairman, and House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., party president, to approve and authorize the Lambino-Agbayani tandem in the interest of party unity.

Saying a Lambino-for-governor and Agbayani-for-vice governor partnership would make a very formidable team in the coming election, party leaders felt assured that the ticket could thwart a possible collapse of Lakas-CMD in the home province of De Venecia.

The calls for a Lambino-Agbayani tandem have come from various districts of Pangasinan, especially in the fourth district where De Venecia comes from.

Lambino and the wife of Governor Victor Agbayani are both seeking nomination to become the Lakas-CMD standard bearer in Pangasinan.

The two will most likely be up against Rep. Amado Espino Jr. of the second district and National Irrigation Administrator Arturo Lomibao, a retired police director general who announced in Camp Crame on Friday his intention to seek the governorship of Pangasinan, if they don’t join forces.

Lambino has reportedly received a strong personal endorsement from former President Fidel Ramos, party president emeritus, to become the party’s gubernatorial candidate given his proven dedication and loyalty to the party, including his performance.

At the same time, the members of the ruling party in Pangasinan strongly endorsed the inclusion of Governor Victor Agbayani in the administration’s 12-man senate slate to represent Pangasinan, the Ilocos region and the interest of all local government units.

The party is banking on the more than 1.2 million voters of Pangasinan, plus those in the Ilocandia and the Cordilleras to propel him to victory.

The draft letter states that the Lambino-Agbayani tandem is a unity ticket in Pangasinan, which is expected to anchor the victory of the 12-man administration’s senatorial ticket in the province.

Without unity among the Lakas-CMD leaders in Pangasinan, the administration’s   ticket in the senatorial race may suffer a debacle in the coming polls.–LM

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