ILOILO City – Mayor Jose Espinosa III slammed Cong. Jerry Treñas for dragging the city’s first lady into their political fray. Has he become “impotent” of substantial issues to throw, asked the city’s chief executive.
“He does not care about the family. Naga-issue ako sa asawa ‘ya? Never,” Espinosa told the city hall press corps yesterday.
Treñas’ wife Rosalie and Espinosa’s wife Regina are sisters.
Espinosa dismissed as “yampak yampak” (inane) the claim that he demanded P100 million in exchange for his backing out of the race for mayor against the congressman in the May 13 midterm elections.
If Treñas were to be believed, Espinosa’s wife proposed the areglo through the congressman’s chief of staff Jonas Bellosillo.
But according to Espinosa, it’s an inane and badly-written story.
“Right off the bat it’s unbelievable. Why course it through Bellosillo when I could just talk to Treñas myself? Yampak yampak nga istorya,” said the mayor.
Espinosa said his brother-in-law was conjuring “off-tangent” stories for lack of substantial issues to throw at him.
“It’s just a figment of his imagination,” he stressed. “Amo ‘na kon impotent ka sa issues. Waay ka inug-issue bala,” Espinosa added.
NO WORD OF HONOR?
The mayor then turned the tables on the congressman, reminding him of a declaration publicly made on Dec. 2, 2016 that he was quitting politics after his term ends in June 2019.
“Ginhambal mo ‘na sa tanan…sa pamilya, sa akon atubang, sa asawa mo nga indi ka na gid magpadalagan,” said Espinosa.
Treñas made such declaration before family members, supporters and local officials during his advance 60th birthday celebration in his office.
“Kon naghambal lang sya nga ‘Danay pa Joe, hulat-hulata lang anay, tan-awon ko pa ‘ni ang akon lawas’, I could have refrained then from deciding to run for mayor,” said Espinosa.
According to Treñas in December 2016, it took him more than three months to make up his mind. “Nakalab-ot kita subong sa crossroads, [kag] amo na ang akon desisyon,” he said. “Mamag-an sa akon buot ang ini nga desisyon.”
Treñas then endorsed Espinosa, vice mayor at the time, to be the next city mayor, and then mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog as the next congressman. “We need new blood in Congress and [the] city [government],” stressed Treñas.
Two years after making such declaration, Treñas made turnaround and is now of the position that the only way for him and Espinosa to run without clashing is for him (Treñas) to run for mayor and his brother-in-law to run for congressman.
“Ano ko ni ‘ya karun? Daw tando tando na lang? Sobra naman ‘na ‘ya,” said Espinosa yesterday.
It is this turnaround of Treñas that is destroying the family, said the city mayor.
“You have destroyed the family. Wala na ‘ta nagakilitaay…kag subong ikaw gahambal una kami nangguba? Ikaw ‘ya ang gaguba,” he added./PN
