Rene, Rico gubernatorial battle may be aborted
Published January 21, 2001 - Bohol Chronicle
The much talked about gubernatorial battle royale between reelectionist Gov. Rene Relampagos and Rep. Erico Aumentado might be aborted.
This possibility surfaced with the assumption yesterday noon of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, under whose political party the two gubernatorial timbers belong.
Both were in Manila last Friday to personally witness the dramatic People Power II at EDSA which toppled Pres. Estrada from power.
Aumentado is an original Lakas stalwart having been elected thrice as congressman of the second district, while Relampagos was former provincial chair of the Lapian ng Masang Pilipino (LAMP), the political coalition of ousted Pres. Joseph Estrada. However, Relampagos bolted from LAMP at the height of the jueteng scandal exposed against the former President.
Rep. Ernesto Herrera who is one of the pillars of the then United Opposition under Arroyo brokered the entry of Relampagos together with his strong 34 town mayors.
A highly placed source told the CHRONICLE that with Pres. Arroyo now at the helm, she could easily settle this political battle by offering any of the two timbers to a high position in the government.
Reports disclosed that Relampagos might be offered as undersecretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) while the other possible option would be Aumentado being offered as Comelec commissioner.
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