It’s father vs daughter for Mabalacat mayor

She’s no longer daddy’s little girl, that’s for sure.

For the first time in this town’s political history, a daughter has dared face her father in the mayoral election.

The entry of Marjorie Morales-Sambo in the mayoral race against her father, reelectionist Mayor Marino Morales, surprised many voters here.

“I have reached this age but it’s only now that I am witnessing a father versus daughter bout. It’s surprising,” said Lourdes Capil, 71.

“The bout puzzles me. Was there something wrong with Boking’s (Morales) governance that his daughter had to run against him?” asked 20-year-old Jerielyn Wade.

Businessman Anthony Dee, who sought the mayoral post here for three consecutive elections, said that this year, he chose to run for vice mayor to give way to his allies, including Sambo, in facing Morales.

Needs improvement

Sambo, 34, said she decided to run against her father because there were many things that needed to be improved in Mabalacat.

Morales, a Lakas-Kampi-CMD candidate, has served as mayor since 1995. He stayed in office when the Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared Dee winner of the 1998 mayoral election.

Dee did not assume office since the declaration came a few weeks before the 2001 elections.

Sad dad

Dee, who is running under the Liberal Party, is a guest candidate in Sambo’s Nacionalista Party slate.

“Mabalacat needs a change in [leadership] because many government services have yet to be given to the people. We have to give to the people what is due [them],” Sambo said.

She vowed to finish infrastructure projects in the town, push education programs, provide the local police and fire department vehicles and equipment and establish cooperatives for the elderly.

Morales said he was saddened by his daughter’s move.

“It was not really her who wanted to run. It was her husband who wanted to [face] me,” he said.

Morales said he last talked with his daughter before the deadline of the filing of certificates of candidacy on Dec. 1 last year. “I asked her if she will run and she [laid down a] condition… But that is something I cannot divulge.”

‘Father didn’t listen’

John Sambo, husband of Morales’ daughter, said his wife asked her father to relieve two employees whom she thought were contributing to the poor governance in his administration.

“But her father did not listen,” said John Sambo, 39.

He denied that he convinced his wife to run for mayor. “I only respected her decision.”

But whatever pushed Sambo to run against her father, Morales said he was still hoping she would back out of the race.

‘I will always love him’

Whoever wins, Morales and Sambo said their love for each other would remain.

“Should I win, I would appreciate it if my father gave me [political] advice. After the elections, he’s still my father. I still love him and I will always love him,” Sambo said.

Morales, on the other hand, said he would not give his daughter any position in government should he win. “But if she decides to [reconcile with] me, I will accept her with arms wide open.”