ONE year ago, this columnist deplored the rumored political split between Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III and Rep. Jerry Treñas – relatives by affinity (magbilas in Ilonggo parlance) whose wives are sisters. It was not only scandalous but also illogical because the only way for the two to win is to run as a team for different positions – “graduating” congressman Treñas for mayor and Espinosa for congressman. But the latter would not agree.
I grabbed the opportunity for me to ask Espinosa why in June 2018 at the University of Northern America in Fairfax, Virginia, which was one of the venues that hosted the week-long “Iloilo City Trade Mission.”
“It was he,” the mayor answered, referring to Treñas, “who vowed to quit politics and to support me for mayor.”
I had heard the same announcement from Treñas himself in December 2016.
However, the city’s political landscape has changed since then. Had the then “graduating” mayor, Jed Patrick Mabilog, not flown out of the country for “self-preservation” – what with President Duterte linking him to drug lords — he would now be running for congressman. Treñas’ plan then was to quit, support Espinosa for mayor and Mabilog for congressman.
The unexpected exit of Mabilog prompted Treñas to change his mind, thinking that he and Espinosa could team up by running for different positions. Unfortunately, Espinosa would not budge despite the unanimous view of their relatives, friends and political advisers that only by running together, not against each other, could they both win.
This columnist agreed, citing Aesop’s fable on “The Four Oxen and the Lion”:
“A lion used to prowl about a field in which four oxen used to dwell. Many times, he tried to attack them; but whenever he came near, they turned their tails to warn another. Whichever way he approached them, he was met by the horns of one of them.
“There came a time, however, that the oxen quarreled among themselves and scattered to separate locations. The opportunity presented itself for the lion to attack them one by one, finishing off all four.”
Indeed, the break-up of the Treñas-Espinosa alliance emboldened Pacita Gonzalez, widow of the late Justice Secretary, to launch her “AlGoNa” third force with Joshua Alim for congressman, Plaridel Nava for vice mayor and an incomplete slate for the Sangguniang Panglunsod.
But even before the official campaign period for local candidates could begin, that force has weakened with Gonzalez’s discovery that the father of one of them was campaigning for Mayor Espinosa.
Worse, a TV newscast showed Espinosa singing with Alim and Nava. That scene, incidentally, reminded us that the two had been touted as his running mates until he chose former councilor Perla Zulueta and incumbent councilor R Leone “Boots” Gerochi as his candidates for congresswoman and vice mayor, respectively.
City hall insiders shared their suspicion that Joe had been luring the two into his camp. In fact, the mayor had already accommodated 20 of their followers as job hires.
But even with Inday Pearl and Boots moving out of the race, Alim and Nava would still wage a tough fight against Julienne “Jam-Jam” Baronda and Jeffrey Ganzon, respectively.
Zulueta and Gerochi need not worry about being substituted though. Thanks to the pusong mamon of Madam Pacita, the impending break-up of the AlGoNa group has been aborted.
Setting aside surveys favorable to Treñas over Espinosa, what still pains their common relatives is having to choose only one of them. They also doubt whether the two would kiss and make up after May 13, 2019. (hvego31@gmail.com/PN)
