LINGAYEN– Pangasinan, the province with the third biggest voting population in the country, after all cannot be claimed by either Vice President Jejomar Binay or Senator Grace Poe as his or her bailiwick.  

LP’s Mar Roxas is now a major contender following the pledge of support of Governor Amado Espino Jr. and his allies in the newly-formed Partido na Pangasinan (Partido) to him.  

Espino announced his support to Roxas in an interview with the local media during a break in the proceedings of the Ist Pangasinan Environmental Summit last Thursday.

Espino, who is now completing his third and last term of office, is the chairman of the newly-formed Partido with Second District Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil as its president.

Bataoil is already an LP partyman. Espino and his allies are expected to follow suit. It was learned Partido intends to affiliate with the LP.

Espino has been without a political party since he resigned from the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) weeks after former Fifth District Congressman Mark Cojuangco, NPC provincial chairman, announced his intention to run for governor in Feb. 2014 just after Espino delivered his State of the Province Address (SOPA)

Cojuangco has repeatedly announced in public he is backing Vice President Jejomar Binay while Cojuangco ally Rosendo So of the partylist Abono is rooting for Senator Grace Poe.

Espino has named his his son and namesake Amado “Pogi” Espino III, as the candidate of the Partido for governor versus Cojuangco.

The elder Espino is also running for congressman in the fifth district of Pangasinan against Rep. Kimi Cojuangco, wife of Cong. Mark.

Since majority of members are affiliated with Liberal Party, Partido will support the presidential bid of LP’s standard bearer Mar Roxas, Board Member Alfie Bince Jr. said. Mr. Bince is vice-chairman of Partido. (Leonardo Micua)
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