ALAMINOS CITY – Disgusted over what he called the present confusing state of politics in the Philippines, brought about by compromises and other factors, one of the closesT political ally of the administration in Pangasinan has expressed his desire to retire from public life.

Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza, former member of the cabinet of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo before he became mayor in his place of root, surprised his citymates when he bared his plan not to run anymore although he has one more term left.

Only in his second term of office and still young at 40, Braganza laughed off reports that he will run for governor in the May 2007 polls. The truth is, he said he is actually planning to call it quits and return to private life.

“I thank the people who floated my name as a possible gubernatorial candidate. They made my life little miserable. But the truth is, I am really contemplating not to run anymore for any position,” Braganza told newsmen.

He said he was disgusted seeing politicians who fought bitterly in the past now being on the same side while those who fought side-by-side with each other before, are now being on opposite sides of the fence.

Braganza drew up his analogy on the Senate slates being formed by the administration and the United Opposition where former friends are now facing each other and former enemies are now in the same slate.

A founding member of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and a former member of the ‘Spice Boys’ in the Lower House that helped bring down former President Estrada from power in 2001, Braganza has remained very supportive of the administration.

He blamed the present confusing situation to the present system that gave rise to less-principled politics and the non-observance of the time-honored of “word of honor.”

I’m done as in “wala na” (nothing), Braganza told newsmen, adding that because of the present situation, even local leaders of Lakas-CMD don’t know if they are still with the party or with the Kabalikat ng mga Mamamayang Pilipino (KAMPI).

Alaminos City is dominated by Lakas-CMD members who uphold Braganza as their leader.

The city mayor admits that in his case, he does not even know if he still remains as secretary-general of Lakas-CMD, the party he helped found.

Braganza, a nephew of former President Fidel V. Ramos, deplored the compromises being entered into by national political parties with each other, where they sometimes leave their principles behind.

“Imagine, the foot soldiers of these national political parties are confused. They are in a quandary on whether the colleagues they are dealing with are their friends or enemies. If the foot soldiers are confused, how much more the people”, lamented Braganza.

He predicted that because of these compromises, which is true in the case of the administration and opposition, there could be junking among candidates in each others’s slate.

Braganza served for one term as councilor of the then municipality of Alaminos before serving for two terms as congressman of the first district of Pangasinan.