ILOILO – Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Emmanuel Gallar running for mayor of Cabatuan town was just a ruse. He was actually gunning for the congressional post of the 3rd District.
Yesterday afternoon, the man who filed a certificate of candidacy for congressman in the district, Peter Anthony Velasco of the Nacionalista Party (NP), withdrew and was substituted by Gallar, a three-term Provincial Board member.
Gallar’s rival for the post is his Provincial Board colleague, Lorenz Defensor of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan and brother of gubernatorial candidate Cong. Arthur Defensor Jr.
Gallar said the story he floated months ago that he was interested to run for mayor of Cabatuan was a political strategy of the NP whose candidate for governor is Cong. Ferjenel Biron. In fact, he did not file a certificate of candidacy for mayor in Cabatuan last week.
That the 3rd District was a political bailiwick of the Defensors was a factor in keeping his plan to run for congressman under wraps, said Gallar.
The NP wanted to field a strong candidate for district congressman, he stressed.
“Amo na gusto sang partido. Gusto ko man kag mga mayorables,” said Gallar.
Gallar said he wanted to bring more projects and help more people in the 3rd District.
Citing his long service in the Provincial Board, Gallar expressed confidence he would beat Defensor, a first-term member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and son of Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr./PN
