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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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ILOILO – As far as 4th District congressman Ferjenel Biron is concerned, the gentlemen’s agreement among four Iloilo congressmen and Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. to field a common candidate for governor in the 2019 midterm elections remains.
Biron also disclosed he is their group’s choice for governor.
Defensor recently said their gentlemen’s agreement may no longer be feasible if he decided to join Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
Defensor is the Liberal Party leader in Iloilo. He and Biron, Arcadio Gorriceta (2nd District), Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. (3rd District), and Raul Tupas (5th District) agreed after the May 2016 elections to keep their alliance and field a common candidate for governor.
The Defensors and Gorriceta belong to the Liberal Party while Biron and Tupas are with the National Unity Party.
On Aug. 13, PDP-Laban’s House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez invited the Defensors to join the ruling party.
“Indi ako privy sa pagbaylo partido ni Governor Defensor, wala kami nakasugilanon sina. As far as I am concerned, our gentlemen’s agreement remains,” said Biron.
The congressman also said he had the support of Tupas and Gorriceta and the mayors of their respective districts.
“Naistorya ko si Congressman Tupas and Congressman Gorriceta. Wala sang pagbag-o ang ila commitment nga gina-endorsar nila ang akon liderato for possible gubernatorial candidacy in 2019,” Biron said.
He also stressed that the positions of Tupas and Gorriceta were based on the choice of their mayors.
“It turned out nga kita ang choice sang majority sang mga mayors. Kag amo ina ang dapat mangin basis of the endorsements of the four congressional districts nga nagsulod sa isa ka gentlemen’s agreement,” he added.
Defensor confirmed the agreement. “The five of us decided to stick together for future electoral exercises in Iloilo. We have a high sense of commonality in so far as our politics is concerned,” he said in an interview last week. But he added: “Isa lang amon kandidato. Kun sin-o, wala pa mabal-an.”
The governor said he was open to joining PDP-Laban but had to consult political colleagues.
“Basta ang puno kag punta, the greater interest of our people should be first and foremost. We are willing to sacrifice our political interest for the greater and higher interest of our people. Amo na ang importante,” he said.
Defensor also said he never insisted nor asked to join the ruling party.
“Tandaan n’yo…waay ko nag-imbitar ang lawas ko. Gin imbitar lang ko ‘ya. Waay ko ginsulsol ang lawas ko sa partido,” he said./PN
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