Pineda: No proposal for alliance

Governor Lilia Pineda PHOTO BY TONETTE T. OREJAS/INQUIRER CENTRAL LUZON

MABALACAT CITY—Governor Lilia Pineda said there was no proposal for an alliance between her local political party, Kambilan, and the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

“No, there was no such proposal. I was never approached by UNA or any other national party for an alliance with Kambilan. I was actually surprised when this came out in the media because there was no such proposal,” she said.

Pineda, who is known to be a political ally of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said she welcomed all senatorial candidates to campaign in Pampanga to allow Kapampangan to choose who they want to elect in the Senate.

“The Liberal Party (LP), UNA or independent [candidates] are all welcome to tell the Kapampangan about their platforms [of government] so that they could listen to all of them,” she said.

Pineda, who is seeking reelection against former Gov. Eddie Panlilio of the LP, also clarified that she had not endorsed any senatorial candidate.

“There are rumors that I have endorsed senatorial candidates. This is not true. I have not endorsed senatorial candidates from UNA or LP. It is not right for me to endorse anybody to the Kapampangan because they should be allowed to choose for themselves who they think should be elected as senators,” she said.

She said there was an instance recently when former Sen. Richard Gordon, an UNA senatorial candidate, came to her consultation and meeting with residents of Porac town.

“Senator Gordon arrived there without us inviting him, and I allowed him to speak not to endorse him but to let the people listen to his platforms. We have a video record of that meeting, and all I said to the people there was to listen to him and decide if he’s worthy of their votes,” she said. Jun Malig, Inquirer Central Luzon