Pampanga mayor’s troubles linked to Lapid son’s ABC bid

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — The camp of Gov. Lito Lapid has allegedly mobilized full resources to weed out possible opponents to his son’s bid to be elected chairman of Pampanga’s Association of Barangay Captains Federation.

One "dirty trick," according to Cesar Ma—gat, president of Minalin town’s ABC, was the graft case against Minalin Mayor Edgar Flores.

The Lapid camp, Magat claimed, is using the case to pressure Flores to convince him (Magat) to back out of the ABC Federation’s election this month. Lapid’s son Mark, an elected barangay head in Porac, is vying for the post.

The provincial board, in fact, approved yesterday a recommendation for Flores’ suspension. It is now up to Gov. Lapid to approve it.

Lapid, however, denied Magat’s allegations.

Provincial administrator Benalfre Galang told The STAR that the graft complaint against Flores was filed even before Mark Lapid ran in the July 15 barangay elections.

"The case had been there long ago, and it just happened that members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board) saw enough evidence to recommend his suspension," he said.

"That has nothing to with the governor who might even disapprove the recommendation," he added.

Galang quoted Lapid as saying that he (the governor) never influenced the provincial board’s decision.

The graft complaint against Flores stemmed from the purchase of allegedly overpriced radio equipment for emergency use during the heavy floods in Minalin last year.

Magat also alleged that a contractor known to be close to the Lapids, has been urging barangay heads in Minalin not to support his bid for the ABC Federation’s chairmanship.

He said the same contractor had campaigned for Mark Lapid during the recent barangay elections.

Flores’ lawyer Cicero Punzalan said the provincial board lacked jurisdiction over Flores’ case since Minalin councilors already filed the same complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman last Dec. 7. The case was brought to the board on Dec. 19.