MANILA, Philippines?Tension between the Aquinos and Cojuangcos became pronounced in 1965, when first cousins Jose ?Peping? Cojuangco and Eduardo ?Danding? Cojuangco contested the post of representative of the first legislative district of Tarlac.

At that time, Benigno ?Ninoy? Aquino Jr., then the governor of Tarlac, backed Peping, the younger brother of his wife Corazon (?Cory?). Peping won.

In 1969, Danding, backed by the strongman Ferdinand Marcos, ran again to challenge his cousin. He won after Peping withdrew from the race.

The cousins have since been on a collision course, directly or through proxies.

At the height of the political battle between Marcos and Ninoy Aquino, Peping backed his brother-in-law and Danding backed the dictator.

In the ?snap? presidential election between Marcos and Cory Aquino in 1986, Peping served as his sister?s campaign manager.

Danding has been suspected of involvement in Ninoy Aquino?s assassination on Aug. 21, 1983. The allegation has never been substantiated. He has never been charged in court.

When Marcos fled the country at the peak of the Edsa People Power Revolution in February 1986, Danding was in the same plane out.

Danding returned to the country in November 1989 and subsequently regained control of the food and beverage giant San Miguel Corp. He also formed the Nationalist People?s Coalition (NPC).

It was under the NPC that Gilbert ?Gibo? Teodoro Jr., the only child of Danding?s younger sister Mercedes, began his political career in 1998 as a representative of Tarlac.

Teodoro bolted the NPC last year to become the administration?s presidential candidate.

The act hurt Danding, according to his wife Gretchen.

?I feel bad for my husband because Gibo left without saying a word to his uncle, who helped and supported him [in his political career],? Gretchen told reporters in February. Lawrence de Guzman, Inquirer Research

Source: Archives