LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—A four-cornered fight emerges in this premier province for the coming gubernatorial race in 2007, if elections push through, as political pundits consider it a real heavyweight battle.

This, as Governor Victor Agbayani is about to complete his three successive terms and the then strongest possible candidate in terms of influence and resources, Undersecretary Antonio Villar Jr of Local Governance under the Office of the President, expressed intention not to run in the coming elections.

Thus emerged Vice Governor Oscar Lambino, Reps. Amado Espino Jr and Conrad Estrella III of the second and sixth districts respectively and Dr. Jamie Eloise Agbayani as the heavyweight contenders for governor.

Lambino, Lakas provincial chairman, is now on his last term and might possibly have as his running mate Mayor Vivien Villar of Sto. Tomas town. If this tandem materializes, observers say Lambino gets a big boost in his bid as Villar is the wife of Undersecretary Villar who is the founder of Biskeg na Pangasinan (Strength of Pangasinan) which is a group of powerful political leaders in the province. The lady mayor has also assumed her post for many terms already. With this tandem, they will get voters from the vote- rich third and fifth districts of Pangasinan with strong support from neighboring towns and cities whose mayors and local officials give high regards to her husband who is acknowledged as the “Kingmaker in Pangasinan”.

A vital plus factor in getting Villar as running mate is this political family is an ally of business tycoon former Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco.

Espino, a KAMPI member who is now on his second term, earlier set his vision for the governorship and became a perennial guest in town fiestas outside his district. He may have as his running mate, `graduating fifth district Board Members Emmanuel Carancho or Dionisio Villar Jr, cousin of Usec Villar, in case the lady mayor is not running for vice governor. Espino did a big surprise in his political battle as he was elected in the second district although he comes from a fifth district town in Pangasinan. A retired colonel, he was a former provincial director of the Philippine National Police.

Estrella, a Nationalist People’s Coalition member, upon confirming that Villar is not interested for governor, started making rounds in the province by becoming guest of honor and speaker during town fiesta celebrations outside his district. The congressman is also backed up by the Cojuangcos. He is reportedly a generous guest. He is said to be teaming up with graduating Malasiqui Mayor Alfonso Soriano. Estrella is hoping to get Biskeg’s endorsement but records showed he is yet to become a member.

Not to be totally out from the political scene, news spread like wildfire that the Agbayanis and their allies are pushing for Dr. Jamie Eloise Agbayani, the governor’s wife, to succeed him in his throne. A department head from the Urduja House, the governor’s official residence here, said the Agbayanis want to get Dionisio Villar in case Vivien Villar is not running, as her running mate to ensure Agbayani’s victory.

Lambino however will most likely get the Lakas endorsement although the governor is his co-chair in Lakas. Both Agbayani and Lambino get along well.

Lambino said although it is still early to talk about politics, he said he could already feel that the political pot is brewing in Pangasinan.