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BY PRINCE GOLEZ and GLENDA TAYONA
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Tuesday, March 20, 2018
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ILOILO City – Is the so-called rift between Cong. Jerry Treñas and brother-in-law Mayor Jose Espinosa III a sham designed to confuse their political enemies?
“Indi man kita dramatista (We are not actors),” Treñas quipped.
A conflict was reportedly brewing between the congressman and the mayor over the former’s possible run for mayor of in the 2019 election.
Yesterday, Espinosa denied he had a falling out with Treñas.
They are still a team, he said, and even described their relationship as “very nice, cordial and one big happy family.”
The wives of Treñas and Espinosa are the business-savvy Sarabia sisters Rosalie and Gina.
In all the elections that they joined, both Espinosa and Treñas belonged to the same ticket and supported one another.
According to Espinosa, he and Treñas talked over the phone before the congressmen flew to Hong Kong on Thursday last week.
They discussed the impending barangay election and projects and programs of the city government, and they also reaffirmed the cooperation between the city government and the office of the congressman, sad Espinosa.
Did they talk about Treñas’ possible running for mayor in next year’s election?
“Wala man…daw waay pa man sya ka hambal nga renda gid gani,” said Espinosa.
Treñas recently claimed over 170 barangay captains urged him to run for mayor.
In December 2016, Treñas endorsed Espinosa for mayor and announced he was retiring from politics after his third and final consecutive term as congressman ends in 2019.
Just days after Treñas announced the possibility of him running for mayor, Espinosa’s senior executive assistant Rommel Castro asked seven of the so-called “Treñas boys” at city hall to choose between the congressman and the mayor. They opted to resign.
Treñas said this saddened him.
“I am hurting. These people are also loyal to Mayor Joe. Para sa akon indi ‘ni sila dapat pagpapiliun,” said Treñas.
The congressman clarified he still has to decide on his 2019 political plan.
He is a member of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The mayor, on the other hand, belongs to the Nacionalista Party (NP) that has an alliance with the President’s party.
He said it is too early to discuss political plans for the 2019 election.
“Politics will have its own time. Basta ako I will just be here serving. Layo pa ang politika. Ang politika ‘ya is one year and a half pa sa May 2019,” Espinosa told city hall reporters./PN
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