ILOILO – The influential Garin family has decided to back the gubernatorial bid of 4th District’s Cong. Ferjenel Biron. This leaves Cong. Arthur Defensor Jr. (3rd District), the presumptive candidate for governor of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), with zero support from Iloilo congressmen.
Guimbal municipal mayor Oscar Garin, the acknowledged political kingpin of the 1st District, made the announcement late Saturday night.
Cong. Arcadio Gorriceta (2nd District) and Cong. Raul Tupas (5th District) have long ago expressed support for Biron, the presumptive gubernatorial candidate of the Nacionalista Party. Now, Biron has the backing, too, of 1st District’s Cong. Richard Garin.
Biron and Defensor have been courting the support of the Garins for months. Both offered to the Garins the vice governorship.
But on Saturday night at the mass oath-taking of Nacionalista Party members in Iloilo and Antique at the Iloilo Convention Center in Mandurriao, Iloilo City, the Garin patriarch declared, “Sorry Gov. (Arthur Defensor Sr.), for so many reasons we cannot be with you.”
WHY BIRON?
According to Garin, “We are looking for something good for people, but we are also looking for something good for us.”
Aside from having one of the Garins as his vice gubernatorial running mate, Biron made another “beautiful proposal” – he won’t field rival candidates to the local candidates of the Garins in the 1st District from mayor down to sangguniang bayan member.
Biron also committed to campaign for the AAMBIS-OWA, the party-list that Garin founded.
“Who could turn down such as a beautiful proposal by a handsome guy like Ferj Biron?” said Garin.
Biron left it to the Garins to decide who to field for vice governor.
On Friday night at a pre-fiesta celebration of the Garins in Guimbal, Cong. Richard Garin said it could be him or sister Sharon, the “graduating” AAMBIS-OWA party-list representative.
The incumbent vice governor is the congressman’s sister Christine. He said she would be the first nominee of AAMBIS-OWA. The party-list’s second nominee would be Biron’s younger brother Hernan.
NOT AN EASY DECISION
According to Mayor Garin, both Biron and Governor Defensor were his friends so it was not easy making the decision who to support.
In fact, he said on Saturday night, Congressman Garin and wife Janette, the former Health secretary, were at the Defensor residence that very night, too, talking to the governor “para indi sya magulpihan…Para kon may hibubun-ot si Art Defensor mahagan hagan kabay pa.”
“Indi man kami gusto nga maglain gid buot ni Defensor. I treasure our friendship. Sorry, Gov, for so many reasons we cannot be with you,” said Garin.
DEFENSORS URGE GARINS TO RECONSIDER DECISION
The Defensor father and son said they respect Garin’s announcement but expressed hope that the decision would be reconsidered.
“I respect his decision but I hope former congressman Oca Garin will consider the sentiment of the people of the 1st District and the sentiment of local leaders, especially the mayors in the district. I hope he will seriously reconsider that before we start asking for the support of our people,” Governor Defensor told Panay News.
The governor confirmed they were eyeing any of the Garins for vice governor.
Despite this recent development, however, Governor Defensor remains hopeful.
“Remember, Congressman Richard Garin is the chairman of PDP-Laban in Iloilo. The party has not yet come up with a decision,” he said.
The elder Defensor declined from further commenting but said “the matter will be settled in the next few days.”
Meanwhile, Congressman Defensor confirmed that Congressman Garin and wife Janette met with him and his father on Saturday evening.
“Padayun namon ginasugilanon ang partido kag ang mga posibilidad pero waay pa (sang decision)…kay waay pa matapos. Ang amon kasugtanan dira nga they will make the announcement when the right time comes,” said Congressman Defensor.
He added: “Member ako sang political party kag upod ko si Congressman Garin…dira ‘ya ang akon punto de vista. Como sya ang upod ko sa partido mahulat ako sang iya pronouncement…kon amo na ‘ya ang decision sang pamilya ginarespeto ko ina.”/PN
Looking from the outside and a mere netizen. I guess the decision of the Garins to be with Biron for many reasons is true. I remembered that when Defensor had sort of a meeting with the 4 district congressmen and had an informal agreement to field a common candidate to the up coming election for the governorship of Iloilo, he obviously junked the Garins and he said on the news that it was not necessary to include them. I guess the Garins did not forget that. Now, the political landscape in Iloilo is starting to get in form. If this hold thru, then the Biron-Garin tandem will the formidable force to be reckoned with. That is Philippine politics, pa weather weather lang. It is exciting to follow up the developments, will see .
This is a future of federal government need to control if ever the political dynasty. All these names will also the names that could be benefited from federal form if the provision of political dynasty will not iron out.