ILOILO City – Will a son of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. seek an elective post in Iloilo?
“We cannot say we do not welcome (that) because anyone can run,” Mayor Jerry Treñas told the city hall press that sought his reaction.
In a recent interview on television station NET25, presidential sister Sen. Imee Marcos said, “Ang alam ko ‘yung mga anak ni Bongbong tatakbo sa Iloilo, tapos may tatakbo yata sa Mindanao.”
It was previously rumored that a presidential son was running for an elective post in Bacolod City.
Senator Marcos did not name the presidential son interested to run in Iloilo and gave no further details.
Treñas, who is eligible for a third consecutive term as mayor come the 2025 midterm elections, said he had been hearing a lot about it.
The President has three sons – the eldest, Sandro, is a congressman representing Ilocos Norte’s 1st Congressional District; middle child Joseph Simon, who finished his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Oxford Brookes University in the United Kingdom; and the youngest, William Vincent or “Vinny” who also graduated from Oxford Brookes University and is currently working as a software engineer.
Treñas said he may ask First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos about this.
The First Lady’s father was Ilonggo basketball Olympian Manuel “Manolet” Ledesma Araneta Jr. who was born in Iloilo City but grew up in Bago, Negros Occidental.
Manolet was a first cousin of Judy Araneta-Roxas, mother of former senator and Local Government secretary Mar Roxas, making the First Lady and Mar second cousins.
For her part, Iloilo’s Vice Gov. Christine Garin said Senator Marcos’ disclosure was “interesting”.
“Interesting news. Everybody has the privilege for running for any position. Indi man puede maghambal kita nga indi puede as long nga residente sila diri in the province or the city of Iloilo,” said Garin whose family supported President Marcos in the 2022 elections.
She is leaving it up for the Ilonggos to decide.
Garin also said it is more likely that the unnamed presidential son would run in Iloilo City, not in Iloilo province’s 1st District which is the acknowledged political bailiwick of the Garins.
The Marcos family, she said, has no known relatives or roots there.
“I guess hulat-hulaton ta na lang,” Garin added.
Fourth District Provincial Board member Rolando Distura was just as measured in his reaction.
“Ingkaso gid man matigayon, madamo sang projects…para mag-uswag pa gid ang aton syudad ukon probinsya”, said Distura.
But it is still up for the Ilonggo electorate, he added.
For 3rd District Provincial Board member Matt Palabrica, anyone who meets the constitutional requirement to run for an elective post may do so.
“Ang akon tani hatagan break ang Ilonggo. Ilonggo man sila, galing wala man sila di,” said Palabrica.
For his part, Ajuy’s Mayor Jett Rojas said it is too early to comment.
“Ako ya personally, wala pa man ako nakilala sa mga bata ni President Marcos,” he added.
Third District’s Cong. Lorenz Defensor has so far made no comment on the matter when Panay News sought his reaction.
While as of this writing, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., 2nd District’s Cong. Michael Gorriceta and 5th District’s Cong. Raul Tupas were yet to respond to Panay News, too.
Fourth District’s Cong. Ferjenel Biron supported President Marcos in the 2022 elections. He has yet to publicly react on the matter, too./PN
