Pardoned ex-Ecija solon tries a political comeback

GAPAN CITY — Nueva Ecija’s former fourth district congressman Nicanor de Guzman Jr., who was convicted of gun smuggling in 1990 and later granted pardon, is on the comeback trail. He is running for provincial board member in the same district.

De Guzman, "Mang Junior" to many Novo Ecijanos, said he is running upon the prodding of his kumpadre, re-electionist Gov. Tomas Joson III, titular head of the opposition party Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija (Balane).

De Guzman told the media about his return to politics during his 72nd birthday party held in his one-hectare residential compound in Barangay San Vicente here last Thursday.

The former lawmaker was charged with gun smuggling when operatives of the Philippine Air Force Security Command (Pafsecom) seized 314 assorted firearms from him at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Sept. 5, 1989.

The guns, wrapped in aluminum foil and contained in nine boxes, included six street sweeper shotguns, caliber .25 and .45 Goldcup pistols and 9-mm. pistols. Five of the boxes were consigned to J.R. de Guzman and the rest to businessman Ponciano Datu.

De Guzman denied owning the boxes, saying he only had a suitcase when he arrived from the United States.

In 1990, the Pasay Regional Trial Court (RTC) found De Guzman guilty of the charges and sentenced him from 17 to 20 years in prison.

On Aug. 8, 1990, he resigned from the House of Representatives to spare the chamber from embarrassment.

Absolute pardon

He started serving his prison term in 1995. Three years later, then President Joseph Estrada granted him absolute pardon.

De Guzman said he could not turn down Joson’s offer, much less the urgings of his former constituents.

He said he originally did not intend to run because he was tired with politics which he blamed for his downfall. But he said Joson was very persistent with the offer and practically "stage-managed" the filing of his certificate of candidacy.

He said the governor sent a driver to fetch him last Jan. 5, the last day for the filing of the certificates of candidacy (COCs) for all candidates, for a supposed meeting at the provincial capitol in Palayan City.

Instead of bringing him there, the driver proceeded to the back of the old provincial capitol in Cabanatuan City where Joson, his brother and vice gubernatorial running mate, Quezon Mayor Mariano Cristino Joson, and other Balane officials were waiting to file their COCs with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office.

"He told me, ‘Pare ngayon lang ako makikiusap sa yo (It’s only now that I will ask you a favor). I have a debt of gratitude to him. Makakatanggi ka pa ba (Can you refuse)?" he said.

De Guzman said he was satisfied being a kingmaker in his district and was, in fact, endorsing two candidates for board member only to end up being a candidate himself.

In between shots of brandy, he said Joson has been good to him, sticking with him even when his other friends had deserted him. The governor even paid for his electric bills so he could survive, he said.

Vindication

De Guzman said he wants the coming elections to be a vindication of sorts for him.

"I want to show to the people outside of Nueva Ecija that my provincemates still love me. Up to now, they believe that while I was jailed, I was innocent. I also want to erase in the people’s mind their negative impression about me and to show them that not all former convicts are bad," he said in Filipino.

His birthday bash was like the good old days. Guests were treated to lechong baka (roasted beef) and other dishes and drinks, and sang along on a karaoke.

Among his guests were Joson, congressional candidate Rodolfo "Rody" Antonino, former mayor Arthur Velayo, Superintendent Luisito Palmera, provincial police director; and Oscar Nieves, manager of radio station dwNE and an ally of the governor.

Antonino, who lost to De Guzman in the 1988 congressional polls, said politics in the fourth district will not be complete without De Guzman on the scene.