By BEHN FER. HORTALEZA, JR.

SOMEBODY, actually a media colleague now semi-retired from the hustle and bustle of newsgathering, once told us a long time ago –and perhaps rather exaggeratedly – that eastern Pangasinan politicians are “friendly on the outside but deadly on the inside.”

Eastern Pangasinan of course means that territorial jurisdiction starting from and beyond Urdaneta City in the north and from Alcala and beyond in the south.

At the time, we were still establishing our initial contacts and friendship with some of the earlier officials (a dwindling number of them are still around) in that part of the province as a neophyte newsman and was naturally wide-eyed and gushing at the local leaders’ generous nature and warm camaraderie to the Press in general. Read the rest of this entry »

A FINAL meeting of the national arbitration committee set on Thursday, March 15, could seal the fate of many aspirants for the Lakas-CMD camp’s blessings – or much likelier, open the door to an “official or unofficial” declaration of a “free zone” in Pangasinan, especially in the gubernatorial race.

While reports abounded last Thursday about Vice Governor Oscar B. Lambino’s having been picked as official candidate for governor of Pangasinan by the ruling party, the camp of Gov. Victor Agbayani, thru Provincial Administrator Virgilio Solis, took special note that no official information has reached the governor about it.

Solis however stopped short of saying the anointment might not yet be final. Read the rest of this entry »

REMEMBER when the monolithic Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL)of the Marcos regime rode roughshod on all other opposition parties? Well, like everything political in this country, it came to an end and with the Marcoses exiting from the political scene after the EDSA Event, the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) of the then opposition easily took over. For a while, it did look invincible too and the warrior in the late Speaker Ramon Mitra looked headed for a victory run as president after the party “convention” picked him over a Fidel V. Ramos. But it didn’t turn out that way. The FVR, combining civilian civility with military stratagem in the polls, stole the thunder – and the allegiance of many LDP men and women– from the Bearded One in the presidential race while running under his own newly minted party, Lakas. Read the rest of this entry »

By DANNY O. SAGUN

BETWEEN an unripe fruit and a bitter-tasting one, which do you choose? If you ask Gonz Duque, he will go for the maeta (unripe).

Gonz in his usual, sarcastic manner of speaking surprised attendees of the Patrima Kapihan last Thursday by saying he would vote for Brian Lim and Belen Fernandez. Lim of course for mayor and Fernandez for vice-mayor. He was quick to point out that he was not campaigning; that he was only telling everybody whom to vote for in the coming elections.

Brian, rumored to seek the seat of his father, Benjie, who is eyeing his former congressional post and wrest it away from the legendary Joe de V , is considered maeta being a neophyte and whose only qualification perhaps why his name is widely floated now is that he is a son of the incumbent city executive. Read the rest of this entry »

By YOLLY Z. SOTELO

WHAT makes a good governor?

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said he will endorse a gubernatorial candidate “but only in confidence” and it will only be an “advice” to those seeking whom to vote for.

“I will advise those who will ask whom they could vote for. Thousands have been asking priests and sisters whom they could vote for, but we can only give an advisory to them,” he told the Inquirer.
He said the advisory will only be given however after the candidates shall have filed their certificates of candidacy with the Commission on Elections. Read the rest of this entry »

By LIWAY M. YPARRAGUIRRE

VICTORIANO Bugarin is 65 years old; Aida Mislang, 51. Both are from barangay Coayan Quiling, San Carlos City.

Aida, widowed six year ago, has one child. Victoriano is a bachelor.

The story I heard was that the two were former sweethearts and Victoriano started courting Aida again after her husband died.

Finally, they became husband and wife last Thursday *March 8). Together with 540 couples who had been living together under one roof, they were married in a mass wedding officiated by City Mayor Julian Resuello. The event was held at the city gym. Read the rest of this entry »

MANAOAG – Pangasinan may yet be declared a free zone in the forthcoming May elections insofar as the gubernatorial race is concerned.

House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. hinted on this possibility in a recent interview with newsmen here, adding that no one among the three principal aspirants is giving way in the race for nomination as standard bearer of the ruling coalition.
Those aspiring for governor are Dr. Jaime Agbayani (wife of Gov. Victor Agbayani who is now on his third and final term), outgoing Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino, and 2nd District Rep. Amado Espino Jr.

“If the Arbitration Committee can’t resolve the issue because no one wants to withdraw, then we will declare it a free zone,” De Venecia said. Read the rest of this entry »

URDANETA CITY – Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil, Ilocos region police director, has formed a task force to go after the killers of an engineer of the National Irrigation Administration who was gunned down by unidentified assassins while aboard his Yamaha Enduro motorcycle along the provincial highway in barangay Bayaoas here early Monday morning.

Task Force Parayno will investigate the gunslaying of Rene Parayno, 43, son of Urdaneta City councilor Julio Parayno who was shot by several unidentified gunmen as he was going home after coming from the house of his father at about 6.07 a.m. on Monday. Read the rest of this entry »

By DANNY O. SAGUN
P/Star Associate Editor

URDANETA CITY – City alderman Julio Parayno tagged as politically-motivated the killing of his son early Monday morning even as he revealed that he and another son have been targeted for liquidation as early as November last year.

Engineer Rene Parayno, who was employed with the National Irrigation Administration, was gunned down by a motorbike-riding gunman wearing a helmet at about 6 a.m. that day soon after he left the house of his father.

The young Parayno reportedly used to bring pandesal to his father’s house every morning and drink coffee there. Read the rest of this entry »

VIGAN CITY – Athletes trained under Camp Victory Pangasinan (CVP) are unstoppable in their medal harvest in the ongoing Philippine Olympics Festival qualifying games being held at the Quirino Memorial Stadium here.

With a medal haul of 14 gold, eight silver and six bronze medals halfway through the games, the Pangasinan contingent appears headed for a very strong finish with CVP athletes leading the assault.

Pangasinan’s first gold was snared by Lany Cardona of Bolinao, who ran barefoot both in the 3,000 and 5,000-meter long runs. Another CVP runner, Vanessa Membrado of Umingan snatched a silver in the same events. Read the rest of this entry »