NEWSFLASH

GOVERNOR LITO LAPID FOR SENATOR?

San Fernando, Pampanga, May 5, 2000 - After initially declaring that he would seek a third term to "vindicate" himself and his constituents in the face of various cases the Office of the Ombudsman has filed against him, Pampanga Gov. Lito Lapid said he is now keeping his options open. Lapid’s supporters cite a nationwide survey supposedly showing he landed third among possible senatorial contenders.

"I will have to abide by the decision of my party (Lakas-NUCD) on my political fate," said the governor, a popular action movie star.

Lapid said that should he run for governor again, Mikey Arroyo, eldest son of Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, would be "okay" as his vice gubernatorial candidate. But he added he might consider running for the Senate.

Earlier, Mikey declared he was interested in running for vice governor, probably also under the Lakas-NUCD.

Magalang Mayor Pastor Guiao of Lakas-NUCD expressed support for Lapid's senatorial bid.

"It's not that we don't want him in the province, but I think he will be more helpful to us here as senator," he said.

Political observers believe that the cases the Ombudsman has filed against Lapid have boosted the provincial folk's sympathy for him and has even widened his political following.

Lapid is facing two criminal charges before the Sandiganbayan, one for the allegedly anomalous purchase by the provincial government of a P104-million parcel of land in San Fernando, and the other on his alleged involvement in the padding of lahar sand quarrying fees.

The Ombudsman earlier had tried to suspend Lapid for one year in connection with the administrative case for the "quarrying scam," but the Supreme Court questioned and stopped the order from being carried out. The Court of Appeals is still hearing Lapid's petition for injunction against the suspension order.