Arroyo’s Pampanga opponent says the battle is vs traditional politics

For private citizen Adonis Simpao, the next six months would not be a battle against just one giant. It would be a fight against a system that this giant represents best. Simpao is the Liberal Party’s (LP) candidate for congressional representative in the second district of Pampanga, the same position President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is gunning for in the 2010 polls. Simpao said he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections office in Pampanga at 10 p.m. Monday, not because he was forced nor left with no choice. He said his decision to run was just dictated by the circumstances. “Wala naman talaga akong balak tumakbo. Hindi ako pinilit, pero hiningi lang ng pagkakataon (I never really planned to run. I was not forced, but the circumstances called for it)," he said Wednesday in a phone interview with GMANews.TV. According to Simpao, LP’s head officer in the province, incumbent Pampanga governor Ed Panlilio, was sending text messages to other prospective candidates right down to two hours before the deadline for filing COCs. But when nobody agreed to take on the job, he decided to step up. “Naghanap tayo ng puwedeng itapat sa Pangulo, pero walang gustong lumaban hanggang huling minuto. Kaya kinailangan nating manindigan," he said. (We tried to find someone who can match the President, but nobody wanted to do so until the last minute. So I had to step up.) The architect, who also worked for various non-governmental organizations advocating a fight against traditional politics in the province, said he did not even have the time to consult his family on the decision he made. Asked what made him decide to run against the President, Simpao said: “Gusto kong baguhin ‘yung ‘against the President.’ Hindi si Pangulong Arroyo ang kinakalaban natin kundi ang sistemang dala ng mga tradisyunal na pulitikong tulad niya." (I want to correct this ‘against the President’ notion. What we are fighting against is not President Arroyo but the system that’s upheld by traditional politicians like her.) Simpao admitted that this would be an uphill battle, given Arroyo’s current hold on power and the number of government projects she has undertaken in the district. He, however, is positive his cabalens (province mates) will look beyond these things come election time. “Hindi malinaw sa mga taga-rito na karapatan ng bawat mamamayan ang mga proyektong dinadala dito ng Pangulo, pero alam kong mamumulat din ang mga kababayan ko," he said. (It’s not clear to people here that they have the right as citizens to benefit from the projects delivered by the President, but I know their eyes will be opened someday.) – GMANews.TV