Perpetual conflict
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Perpetual conflict
FRANCIS “Blueboy” Nepomuceno versus Carmelo “Jonjon” Lazatin II versus Eleonor “Nong” Abad Santos: the war of political families in Angeles City continues, the scions picking up where their now departed elders left off.
Here’s a historical vignette dug up from the files of stories I wrote for People’s Tonight. This one was dated December 21, 1987 and was carried in the front page teaser “Angeles kingpins in final showdown.”
THE FINAL CONFLICT
A storied political rivalry that started in the immediate post-war period is set to culminate with the January 18, 1988 elections.
Two aged and grizzled political warriors – ripe enough for the geriatric ward, their detractors scoff – are fixed to meet in a final conflict with the city mayoral post as plum.
Don Rafael Lazatin, 83, former governor, city mayor and assemblyman heads the UNIDO ticket against Don Francisco Nepomuceno, 74, former governor and immediate past city mayor who is running as independent.
Far from dotage despite their advanced age, both still pack political savvy and sting that have made them survivors in the changing national political landscape.
Both of the landed gentry, they have for decades dominated local politics, making Pampanga little more than a fiefdom titled between them.
Lazatin started his political career in 1937 as city councilor. Nepomuceno initially crossed his path in the late ‘40s. From then on, Pampanga politics was reduced to a two-family affair, notwithstanding Lingad, Valencia, Mendoza and Guiao who provided the interregnums in their dominion.
While some sort of a political détente existed between the two in the wake of the Ninoy Aquino assassination and went on through the Batasan elections in 1984 – where Lazatin and Nepomuceno’s wife ex-congresswoman and ex-governor Juanita ran and won – and the snap presidential polls in 1986, still the enmity between them remained.
The contest for the city mayoral post, no matter the outcome, is speculated to be the two’s final confrontation. Their advanced age, in all probability, would prevent any other battle in the future.
However, the storied rivalry may end in a denouement instead of a climax for both of them. As they are by no means the only serious contenders for the post.
Seeking to break the stranglehold of the Lazatins and Nepomucenos of Pampanga and Angeles City politics is Antonio Abad Santos, the PDP-Laban official bet.
Though “lower” in economic status than the old titans, Abad Santos, himself a scion of a former city mayor, Manuel, claims a mass base of people support enhanced by an organization of determined men and women transcending all sectors.
Then too is Gov. Bren Guiao’s “all-out support” for Abad Santos.
If only for the fact that Lazatin and Nepomuceno are locked in their final conflict, January 18 in Angeles will be worth watching. The entry of Abad Santos is an added political bonus.
ABAD SANTOS won of course and the two elders receded to oblivion dying in the ‘90s but not before burying the political hatchet and bonding in friendship.
Come the elections of 2007 – the son against the grandson against the daughter of the 1988 key players. Will history repeat itself?
I can’t help but recall Karl Marx: “Hegel says somewhere that all great events and personalities in world history reappear in one fashion or another. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second as farce.”
If God isn’t dead – and the dead Marx was right – then may He have mercy on Angeles City.
Perpetual conflict
FRANCIS “Blueboy” Nepomuceno versus Carmelo “Jonjon” Lazatin II versus Eleonor “Nong” Abad Santos: the war of political families in Angeles City continues, the scions picking up where their now departed elders left off.
Here’s a historical vignette dug up from the files of stories I wrote for People’s Tonight. This one was dated December 21, 1987 and was carried in the front page teaser “Angeles kingpins in final showdown.”
THE FINAL CONFLICT
A storied political rivalry that started in the immediate post-war period is set to culminate with the January 18, 1988 elections.
Two aged and grizzled political warriors – ripe enough for the geriatric ward, their detractors scoff – are fixed to meet in a final conflict with the city mayoral post as plum.
Don Rafael Lazatin, 83, former governor, city mayor and assemblyman heads the UNIDO ticket against Don Francisco Nepomuceno, 74, former governor and immediate past city mayor who is running as independent.
Far from dotage despite their advanced age, both still pack political savvy and sting that have made them survivors in the changing national political landscape.
Both of the landed gentry, they have for decades dominated local politics, making Pampanga little more than a fiefdom titled between them.
Lazatin started his political career in 1937 as city councilor. Nepomuceno initially crossed his path in the late ‘40s. From then on, Pampanga politics was reduced to a two-family affair, notwithstanding Lingad, Valencia, Mendoza and Guiao who provided the interregnums in their dominion.
While some sort of a political détente existed between the two in the wake of the Ninoy Aquino assassination and went on through the Batasan elections in 1984 – where Lazatin and Nepomuceno’s wife ex-congresswoman and ex-governor Juanita ran and won – and the snap presidential polls in 1986, still the enmity between them remained.
The contest for the city mayoral post, no matter the outcome, is speculated to be the two’s final confrontation. Their advanced age, in all probability, would prevent any other battle in the future.
However, the storied rivalry may end in a denouement instead of a climax for both of them. As they are by no means the only serious contenders for the post.
Seeking to break the stranglehold of the Lazatins and Nepomucenos of Pampanga and Angeles City politics is Antonio Abad Santos, the PDP-Laban official bet.
Though “lower” in economic status than the old titans, Abad Santos, himself a scion of a former city mayor, Manuel, claims a mass base of people support enhanced by an organization of determined men and women transcending all sectors.
Then too is Gov. Bren Guiao’s “all-out support” for Abad Santos.
If only for the fact that Lazatin and Nepomuceno are locked in their final conflict, January 18 in Angeles will be worth watching. The entry of Abad Santos is an added political bonus.
ABAD SANTOS won of course and the two elders receded to oblivion dying in the ‘90s but not before burying the political hatchet and bonding in friendship.
Come the elections of 2007 – the son against the grandson against the daughter of the 1988 key players. Will history repeat itself?
I can’t help but recall Karl Marx: “Hegel says somewhere that all great events and personalities in world history reappear in one fashion or another. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second as farce.”
If God isn’t dead – and the dead Marx was right – then may He have mercy on Angeles City.
posted by A.Caesar Z. Lacson at 9:34 PM
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