Cong. Mark: I chose to be a Pangasinense since 1967
COJUANGCO UPDATES
CALASIAO—Former Pangasinan fifth district Rep. Mark Cojuangco said it was his choice to be a Pangasinense.
Cojuangco, in a recent news conference, also remarked “Wa epek (No effect)” when asked to react on claims made by some quarters, including some broadcasters, that one issue being raised against him is for not being Pangasinan-born, making some to label him as a non-Pangasinense.
Cojuangco, son of business tycoon former Ambassador Danding Cojuangco, said it was his choice to be a Pangasinense, and not by accident.
He said that since 1967, his family had established residence in Sison town this province.
The Cojuangco family owns the Northern Cement Corporation based in Sison. His wife, Kimi, also served as mayor of Sison prior to becoming congresswoman of Pangasinan fifth district.
“ I was congressman for nine years and two terms unopposed so how could they say I’m not from here?,” Cojuangco said in reaction to a question posed by a reporter about comments that he is not a Pangasinense and should therefore not be favored in the 2016 gubernatorial election.
Cojuangco said comments such as this do not affect him. “Wa epek,” he said that elicited laughter from the crowd.
He said he returned from exile in US in 1990 and the first thing he did was to register as a voter in Sison.
He said he was born in Manila but it was his choice to serve Pangasinan.
“It’s pathetic, they have no issue against me, I have no Napoles (pork barrel scam) so they resort to that shallow argument,” Cojuangco said.
“They lack issue against me but that (not being born in Pangasinan) does not bother me,” he added.
He added that the grandfather of his wife has been in the province since 1990s and in fact owned the defunct Pantranco bus company that was once the king of the road in Pangasinan.
He said he is aware that comments about his not a true-bloodied Pangasinense are being circulated by some quarters after he announced his gubernatorial bid in 2016 last February.
Cojuangco said it is not just one family that decides who is the real Pangasinense but the law about one’s residency.
“Let us not leave the decision on who is the real Pangasinan to one group of family only. That is the start of bigotry. And bigotry is the worst kind of attitude,” he added.
Meanwhile, Cojuangco is unperturbed by text messages being circulated obviously by his political detractors since he announced his gubernatorial plan.
He said he is focused in his sorties across Pangasinan to make his plans for the upliftment of Pangasinan and the Pangasinenses’ plight known and understood by the people.
Spam text messages always jam the networks every time a group of influential political leaders like congressmen, mayors, vice mayors, councilors, among others pledge their commitment and early support to him in the presence of local newsmen.
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