ILOILO City – Re-elected and newly-elected barangay captains in this city and Iloilo province will be taking their oath of office before House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on June 24 at the Iloilo Convention Center.
The attendance, however, is not compulsory.
“Siling ko sa ila imbitaron ta lang pero indi ta pag-encourage ang mga kapitan nga sa malayo maghalin like sa bukid, indi na lang sila ‘ya pero kon luyag gid nila ti, okey lang man” said Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr.
Defensor said the mass oath-taking was decided during a meeting of Iloilo City’s Cong. Jerry Treñas, 1st District’s Cong. Richard Garin, 2nd District’s Cong. Arcadio Gorriceta, and 3rd District’s Cong. Arthur Defensor Jr.
Iloilo City has 180 barangay captains while the province has 1,721 (1st District, 420; 2nd District, 301; 3rd District, 427; 4th District, 272; and 5th District, 301).
Defensor said barangay captains from the 4th District may not be expected at the mass oath-taking, citing the “politics” there.
“Imbitaron lang namon dira ang maka-uyon lang mag-attend, knowing the politics of the 4th District. Nag-announce naman si Cong. (Ferjenel) Biron nga makandidato sia for governor of Iloilo so nali ang mga kapitan sang 4th District indi na mag-attend,” said Defensor.
Biron is a member of the Nacionalista Party.
The governor, however, clarified that the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) has nothing to do with the mass oath-taking of barangay captains.
“Wala na ‘ya labot sa PDP-Laban. Oath-taking lang ina ‘ya sang barangay captains,” he stressed.
Defensor’s son, 3rd District’s Cong. Arthur Defensor Jr., may likely run for governor against Biron in next year’s midterm elections./PN
