BALER, Aurora, August 4, 2012–Sen. Edgardo Angara – the longest-serving senator in the post-Edsa Senate – is 100% sure of running for governor in next year’s mid-term elections.
Highly reliable sources, who sought anonymity, told newsmen that Angara has finalized his decision to seek the governorship and has in fact informed his close friends and allies of his bid, including deposed former President Joseph Estrada.
Angara served as agriculture secretary during Estrada’s abbreviated presidency.
“He is running for governor 100%, that’s for sure,” the source said.
Angara has not made public his gubernatorial bid although speculations are rife he would make the declaration shortly before the deadline for the filing of the certificate of candidacy for local and national officials in October.
His potential rival, Vice Gov. Gerardo Noveras, has declared he is running for governor in July last year.
No one among the Angaras have so far confirmed the plan. But the senator’s younger sister, outgoing three-term Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo acknowledged that there is a strong clamor among the Angaras’ political leaders for the senator to run for governor.
She said the possibility of the senator running for governor is to enable the provincial government to finish all the projects which she started when she first ruled the Capitol following a landslide victory in 2004.
“Based on what they (leaders) have seen, it will take somebody like Senator Angara to expedite all the development projects in Aurora,” she said.
“If you ask me, I prefer somebody like him taking into account the interest of the province and the people of Aurora,” she added.
The possibility of the senator running for the Capitol surfaced sometime last year after his brother, outgoing three-term Baler Mayor Arthur Angara who declared he is interested in seeking the Capitol, reportedly would have his hands full against Noveras.
A number of times, the senator denied he would seek the governorship, pointing out that he was a national figure and won’t settle for a local position. He said if Arthur does not stand a chance, then the Angaras would shop for somebody else.
In spite of his denial, indications point to the senator running for governorship, proof of which is his visibility in the province.
Since last year, he has been inspecting his pet projects and meeting ward leaders of the Angaras, particularly local chief executives.
A Capitol official said the senator can run for governor even without physically campaigning. “He is very well-known, he has extensive connections and he has the solid support of leaders who can do the campaigning for him while he is attending to the senatorial campaign of his son Sonny,” the official said, referring to the senator’s son who is eyeing to succeed him. (Manny Galvez)
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