ITOGON, Benguet – One of the aspirants for the province’s congressional post criticized the alleged orchestrated efforts by some quarters to come up with a unified candidate who will be pitted against Benguet Caretaker Congressman and Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. Eric Yap in the upcoming May 9, 2022 synchronized national and local elections.
Mayor Victorio T. Palangdan stated that he was invited by the purported convenors of an alliance in Benguet to attend the scheduled selection of the proposed unified candidate for the lone congressional post which was held in the capital town of La Trinidad last Saturday.
However, he disclosed that he simply presented himself to the gathered sectoral representatives from the different parts of the province but did not allow himself to be subjected to the process because he knew all along that the said process was orchestrated and designed to suit the interest of those who are behind the said alliance.
The local chief executive also questioned the capacity of the convenors to organize the activity and pursue the aim of the alliance of coming up with a unified candidate to run a provincewide campaign for the chosen candidate for the said position.
Palangdan pointed out that the 38 sectoral representatives who were gathered for the said selection process do not represent the true sentiment of the people of Benguet and that they were simply convened to ensure that the will of those who are behind the supposed alliance will be achieved as reflected on the outcome of the activity.
According to him, he will not respect the outcome of the supposed convention and that he will pursue his aspiration to run for the province’s lone congressional post as he is prepared for the expected toss up between him and Congressman Yap.
Palangdan is a retired prosecutor, a former member of the Board of Directors of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) and a 3-term mayor of this mineral-rich town.
He asserted he will still pursue his plan to run for congressman under his Independent Benguet Party and that he will not respect the outcome of the gathering because the same was aimed at actually endorsing the candidacy of the choice of those who are behind the organization of the alliance. By HENT
