A former city councilor, who is also the son of a bemedalled police officer, will vie for the congressional post of Valenzuela City's second district pitting him against the incumbent Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo being backed by the formidable machinery and resources of the ruling Lakas-Kampi CMD.

Carlos Tiquia, also a pastor, will in turn be supported by the political coalition formed by Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian and his brother Rep. Rex Gatchalian of the city's first district.

The political coalition, grouping together at the "local level" all major political parties such as Nacionalista Party (NP), Liberal Party (LP), and Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), is considered the strongest political bloc in the city.

"The coalition could match pound for pound the resources and the vote-getting machinery of the Lakas-Kampi CMD in the city so the fight could be decided by the individual charisma of the two candidates," a political observer said.

Tiquia will bring with him the good reputation of his father, Carlos Sr., who managed to neutralize urban communist hit squads in the locality as chief of police of the city in the turbulent decade of the '80s.

Gunigundo, on the other hand, will rely on his good record and performance as congressman of the city's second district for two terms.