ILOILO City – Barangay captains in the district of Molo do not want Mayor Jose Espinosa III to run for mayor in next year’s midterm election.
In a resolution, the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) of the district instead expressed support to Cong. Jerry Treñas as candidate for city mayor.
Now in his third and final consecutive term as congressman, Treñas is barred by law from seeking a fourth term.
According to the barangay captains, Espinosa should swap posts with Treñas, his brother-in-law, and maintain their political unity.
“If both remain united, no political entity can defeat (them) for sure,” stated the barangay captains in the resolution passed on April 3 during their regular meeting.
Addressing the reported conflict between the congressman and the mayor, barangay captains warned they may be forced to choose one over the other.
“If our leaders are divided rest assured that we cannot serve two masters at the same time,” part of the resolution read.
In all the elections they joined, both Espinosa and Treñas belonged to the same ticket and supported one another.
In December 2016 when he was still vice mayor, Espinosa was endorsed by Treñas for mayor.
In February this year, however, Treñas said he may run for mayor.
Espinosa refused to squarely address the issue and simply said he and Treñas remained on good terms.
Having become city mayor only by operation of law (his predecessor Jed Patrick Mabilog was dismissed from government service by the Office of the Ombudsman for unexplained wealth in October last year), nothing legally prevents Espinosa from running either for mayor or congressman.
Come election season, Espinosa said he would “let the people decide.”
“The city faces so many concerns. I want to focus on them. Politics has its own time,” said Espinosa.
He denied he had a falling out with Treñas. They were 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 sisters./PN
