TOO bad to be true! Foolish! That’s how common relatives (their wives being sisters), friends and supporters of Rep. Jerry P. Treñas and Mayor Jose Espinosa III view the notion that the two would fight for the Iloilo City mayorship in 2019.
Why divide solid forces and risk the possibility of one losing to the other? Or both of them losing to a probable third candidate? The only way they could both win is for the incumbent mayor to run for congressman; and the “graduating” congressman, for mayor.
Espinosa, elected vice mayor in 2016, has been mayor since October 2017, succeeding dismissed Mayor Jed Mabilog. It would be like running for re-election if he runs for mayor in 2019. Whereas, by running for congressman for the first time, he would plant an added feather to his political cap.
Although Espinosa has not publicly announced his intention to severe three decades of political ties with his bilas, his refusal to renew the contracts of city hall job hires identified with the congressman seemed to have spoken louder than words.
The mayor has also kept his lips sealed as regards the rumor that Sen. Cynthia Villar had facilitated his meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City, ostensibly to have him, rather than Treñas, “anointed.”
On second thought, hadn’t Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon also paid the President a visit which earned for him recognition as Duterte’s “point man” in Iloilo?
Wednesday (May 2), while we Ilonggos were wondering whom Duterte would bless, Treñas came out holding an “appointment paper” naming him president of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), Iloilo City Council, with the signatures of Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, PDP-Laban national president; House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, national secretary general; and Department of Energy secretary Alfonso Cusi, vice chairman.
He also said Ganzon had agreed to be his running mate for vice mayor; and that some incumbent councilors – namely Jay Treñas, Reyland Hervias, Liezel Zulueta, Candice Tupas, and Ely Estante – would run for re-election in their ticket.
Nowhere in the list appears Treñas’ bet for congressman – an indication that he would still like his bilas to fill the blank. Espinosa, although out of the country, could have reacted to the news but never did. Having already pledged his loyalty to Duterte, it would now be awkward for him to represent the Nacionalista Party, to where he belongs
Ganzon, in separate radio interviews, stressed that his decision to accept Treñas’ invitation had the imprimatur of the “Davao group.” He expressed hope that Espinosa would give way to Treñas, adding without elaborating that it’s not the two but their “wives” who harbor family feud. Secret?
We have no idea whether the “Davao group” had interceded for Treñas. On the other hand, fellow columnist Alex Vidal made sense when he opined that former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (incumbent congresswoman of Pampanga) might have done so as an expression of gratitude. For it was Treñas, as mayor of Iloilo City and president of League of Cities in the Philippines (LCP) in 2008, who mobilized his group to sign a manifesto of support for her in the wake of the “Hello Garci” controversy.
Then, too, there are politicians whose own political future would depend on Treñas and Espinosa fighting each other. In that case, two likely contenders for congressman could rise in the persons of former councilor Lex Tupas and incumbent councilor Joshua Alim, representing the Treñas and Espinosa camps, respectively.
But as far as Jerry and Joe themselves are concerned, their formidable strength lies in mending family feud and restoring political alliance. (hvego31@gmail.com/PH)
