POLITICS in Iloilo – both the city and the province – is a game of palitik, where the players wrack their brains thinking of ways and means to demolish the enemies.
First, let us look at the unexpected twist of events that seem to signal the back-to-each-other alliance of Cong. Jerry P. Treñas and his three-decade political ally and bilas, Mayor Jose Espinosa III. Their common relatives, friends and relatives had truly feared that the two would run against each other for mayor in 2019.
There was also a time when we reminded Espinosa about the congressman’s reconciliatory intention. To which he retorted, looking back to a day in December 2016, “It was he who vowed to quit politics and to support me for mayor.” He seemed to imply that had Jerry not made that “quit” claim, there could have been no problem; and that was for the “graduating” congressman to move back to City Hall as mayor and Espinosa (then vice mayor) to move on to the House of Representatives.
But just the other day, Councilor Joshua Alim – touted to be Espinosa’s running mate for congressman – aired his hunch on radio station DyRI that Espinosa might patch up with Treñas. He was talking about organizing a “third force” with complete slate for congressman, mayor, vice mayor and councilors. In that scenario, Espinosa and Alim would no longer run in tandem with – but against – each other. If I heard him right, Alim quoted the adage, “Blood is thicker than water.”
In a past column, this writer had expressed the same notion based on the fact that, though the congressman and the mayor are not directly blood relatives, their wives – Rosalie Sarabia Treñas and Gina Sarabia Espinosa – are sisters. In fact, though Mayor Joe had publicly announced he would be running for mayor against Cong. Jerry, the latter kept his fingers crossed it would not come to that point.
As of this writing, however, Espinosa has made no reaction yet to Alim’s conjecture. But if Alim was correct, the re-electionist mayor, a member of the Nacionalista Party (NP), would be correct in opting for reconciliation/coalition with his bilas (PDP-Laban) as the win-win alternative. After all, the two have a long history of political alliance dating back to the 1990s.
Whereas, if they insist on clashing, only one would win; or both could lose to a possible third candidate, possibly Dr. Pacita Gonzalez (or her Daughter Gold), whom Alim named as his team mate.
Moving over to the provincial scene, what Mayor Oscar Garin (Guimbal, Iloilo) announced the other night has engendered mixed emotions. You see, despite being a member of the PDP-Laban, he came to the induction of NP members at the Iloilo City Convention Center to make an announcement: His family in the 1st District would support Cong. Ferj Biron (4th District, Iloilo) for governor.
Conversely, Biron would field no local candidates in the 1st District but consider Garin’s candidates as his, too. Their common candidate for vice governor would be a Garin; for party-list representative, AAMBIS-OWA – a Garin as first nominee and a Biron as second nominee.
Garin made no explanation as to why he was supporting Biron despite being a stalwart of PDP-Laban, where his son Richard (incumbent congressman of the 1st District) is provincial chairman. Would the Garins abandon the party and its candidate for governor, Rep. Arthur Defensor Jr. (3rd District), who is a son of incumbent Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr.?
Today, Cong. Richard Garin is expected to iron out those kinks by making his own announcement. What would that be?
What if Biron would not find it valuable to his “expensive” ambition?
The Defensors, so yesterday’s papers reported, reacted “unfazed.” (hvego31@gmail.com/PN)
