FVR’s town goes all-out for Gov. Espino

Locking the Fortress – All three candidates for mayor of Asingan, Pangasinan, hometown of President Fidel V. Ramos, join hands with his sister, former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani (extreme left), and her son, Board Member  Ranjit Ramos-Shahani (extreme right), in sealing their full support to the candidacy of re-electionist Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. Others in photo (L-R) are: Vice Mayor Eleanor Viray, (2^nd from left), LP candidate Benigno Badua Rebeniol, Gov. Espino and incumbent Mayor Heidi Chua.  Viray, Rebeniol and Chua are contesting the mayoralty seat of Asingan.

Former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani, her son, Ranjit Ramos-Shahani and all three contending mayoral candidates of Asingan,  hometown of former President Fidel V. Ramos, pledged their full support to re-electionist Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. in a ceremonial joining of hands during a meeting last Sunday. 

The same rare show of unity among opposing mayoral bets to support Governor Espino took place in Alaminos City, the hometown of Braganza, last month on March 21.

Based on recent survey, Governor Espino is leading with 90% voters in favor for his reelection, while his opponent, Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza got only 8% of voters with only 2% of electorate still undecided.

Earlier, a news report had quoted Ranjit Shahani announcing that 13 LP mayoralty candidates in the province had signed a covenant of support to Espino.

In response, Braganza called for an emergency meeting of the party and extracted statements from five mayoral candidates, mostly from western Pangasinan, allegedly affirming their loyalty to him.

However, Shahani said those who originally signed the covenant of support to Gov. Espino had reaffirmed earlier commitment.

Asingan  is one of the eastern towns Pangasinan’s 6^th district, known as the bailiwick of the Shahanis  which is  represented by Ranjit Shahani in the provincial board.