DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan – Former executive secretary and Pangasinan governor Oscar Orbos is batting for a political comeback in the province as he filed his certificate of candidacy Friday morning.
Ka Oca, after more than 20 years of political inactivity, will engage in a political showdown with western Pangasinan bigwig Art Celeste, as representative of the province’s first congressional district.
Orbos registered his candidacy under the Aksyon Demokratiko political party, whose standard bearer is Mayor Isko Moreno.
Neverthless, Orbos will be taking the side of incumbent governor Amado I. Espino III under their local political party Abante Pangasinan Ilokano (API), in their attempt to take down the Guico and Lambino coalition Team Aguila.
For the Orbos family, this is an opportunity for retaliation after their clan’s loss last election, as former transport undersecretary Thomas ‘Tim’ Orbos suffered a 7,548-vote margin loss against Noli Celeste for the representative seat.
The Celestes have surfaced as western Pangasinan’s honchos since 2001.
Meanwhile, in an interview on Thursday, Celeste is confident in taking down the older, more experienced Orbos.