Really folks, it’s quite boring. You know, this seemingly sibling rivalry now a political showdown between two senior citizens both acting like jilted lovers.
And we’re talking about the ongoing foreplay and political striptease between Iloilo City congressman Jerry Treñas and Iloilo City mayor Joe Espinosa III.
You know, Joe and Jerry seems like that ice cream brand i.e. Ben and Jerry’s. Take note folks, that this is a sosyal brand, not your usual sorbetes or “dirty ice cream.” This is the ice cream of choice of the hip and trendy “beautiful people”.
Chances are if you have not heard or even tasted Ben and Jerry’s then you are not sosyal or hip and trendy enough. Probably worst, you cannot afford to buy it. In short, poor and baduy.
Are you offended? If you are, then good. That’s the idea. Now you can’t stop reading.
And that’s why we’re not having any association with Ben and Jerry’s ice cream because politics is baduy and not sosyal. It’s more like on the same level as those strip joints along JM Basa Street.
Now on its second episode, the Joe and Jerry Peep Show is getting to be interesting and more and more absurd. The titillation there is that these two have always been intertwined with each other both political and personal, at least that’s what their wives (incidentally sisters belonging to the iconic Sarabia Clan) would like it to be.
What is shaping to be the climax of this peep show is that anytime soon, perhaps by the time this column comes out, Jerryboy a.k.a. Cong. Jerry Treñas may go the way of his erstwhile now estranged political ally the dismissed “I Am Iloilo City” mayor Jed Mabilog.
Here are excerpts from Panay News (Feb. 4 issue):
Treñas legal trouble continues
The legal battle of Cong. Jerry Treñas in relation to a graft case filed against him is not yet over.
“My lawyers filed a motion to file demurrer. The motion was denied. My lawyers will proceed with what is necessary under the premises,” Treñas told Panay News.
In a recent decision, Sandiganbayan junked the lawmaker’s plea to dismiss the graft case over his alleged misuse of the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) worth half-a-million peso.
The 7th Division of the anti-graft court denied the motion for lack of merit.
The state prosecutors maintained that the arguments raised by Treñas were evidentiary matters that are not yet proven.
“In fact, the prosecution alleged that the matters raised by accused Treñas require separate evidentiary matters that relate to the defence of the accused. Thus, prosecution prayed that the motion for leave to file demurrer to evidence should be denied for lack of merit,” they said.
The prosecution panel also clarified that the liability of Treñas hinges on his act of releasing public funds to a private entity and from his failure to exercise caution in releasing the funds and not because he selected IPC as beneficiary.
And from Panay News’ Feb. 5 issue:
Joe to Jerry: ‘Evidence against you is strong’
Mayor Jose Espinosa III has words for his estranged brother-in-law Cong. Jerry Treñas:
“The evidence against you is strong.”
Espinosa said this following a Sandiganbayan decision that denied Treñas’ plea to dismiss a graft case filed against him over the alleged misuse of the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) worth P500,000.
“Very strongly worded ang hambal sang korte. It is the Sandiganbayan. The evidence of the Ombudsman against you is strong,” said Espinosa.
The motion for leave of court to file demurrer to evidence that Treñas filed was dismissed for lack of merit, stated in a resolution dated Jan. 28 issued by the 7th Division of Sandiganbayan.
“Korte na ya gahambal. Delikado na if korte na gahambal,” Espinosa said.
The mayor added: “Meaning to say, ang korte nagapati nga the evidence against you is strong and you can be convicted.s”
Hmmm…this is getting to be more and more interesting not to mention absurd.
If indeed the Sandiganbayan makes a decision and it is not in favor of Jerryboy, then he will be dismissed as congressman and the strong possibility that he will be barred from public office for life. Of course this will most probably include some jail time.
Anyway, Canada seems lovely this time of the year, nice chilly weather and the prospect of that much awaited reunion with a long lost friend dismissed “I Am Iloilo City” mayor Jed Mabilog.
Maybe Jerryboy should have just fulfilled the promise he made in December 2016 and that is to retire from politics and concentrate on the family business, you know running a bakery and find peace of mind among the monays and the Spanish bread./PN
