ILOILO City – Mayor Jose Espinosa III rejected Cong. Jerry Treñas’ offer to be the latter’s congressional candidate. After three months of staying mum, he finally confirmed he is running for mayor, not for congressman, in next year’s election.
In March, Treñas bared a plan to run for city mayor with Espinosa as his candidate for congressman.
“Para lang na ‘ya sa mga maalam guro ah (That post is only for the intellectuals),” Espinosa said in jest during yesterday’s press conference, his first since returning to the city from a nearly two-week trade mission in the United States.
Treñas’ March disclosure was a turnaround from his December 2016 endorsement of Espinosa for city mayor; it was also when he announced he would quit politics in June 2019 when he would have completed his third and final term as congressman.
“Naka-decide na kita (I have already decided to run for mayor),” Espinosa told journalists at city hall.
He had long planned to run for mayor, said Espinosa who was elected vice mayor in 2010, 2013 and 2016 but became the city’s chief executive in October last year after the Office of the Ombudsman dismissed from government service then mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog for unexplained wealth.
In March, barangay captains from the districts of Jaro, Molo and Mandurriao issued statements supportive of Treñas running for mayor and urging Espinosa to run for congressman instead.
“Kon para sa imo inâ, sa imo gid inâ. Kun indi gusto ang Babaw, you can do your best pero indi gid nâ magkadto sa imo (If such post is meant for you, you’ll gonna get it. If God doesn’t will it, you can do your best but still won’t have it),” said Espinosa who will be 62 years old on June 20.
But while he confirmed running for mayor, Espinosa admitted he still has not decided who to pick as candidate for vice mayor.
He also clarified he respected the decision of majority of Sangguniang Panlungsod members to align themselves with Treñas, a member of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, the city council presiding officer, announced in early May he had agreed to be Treñas’ running mate.
“That is their decision. That is politics. Kon diin ang huyop sang hangin dira man nâ tanan (Where the political wind blows, politicians rush there, too),” said Espinosa, a member of the Nacionalista Party that has an alliance with the President’s party.
Treñas had told Panay News councilors Ely Estante, Reyland Hervias, Mandrei Malabor, Liezel Zulueta Salazar, Jay Treñas, and Magdalene Candice Tupas were open to building alliances with him.
Espinosa, on the other hand, did not discount the possibility of teaming up with those opposed to Treñas such as councilors Plaridel Nava and Joshua Alim, and even the camp of Dr. Pacita Gonzalez, wife of the late Justice secretary and congressman Raul Gonzalez Sr.
“Basta pulitika, may alliances gid na nga matabo (In politics, building alliances is inevitable),” said Espinosa.
The filing of certificates of candidacy for the May 2019 midterm election is in October this year.
“Let us not be too engrossed in politics. It will have its time. For now, let us focus on public service and I don’t want politics to cast an evil shadow over it,” said Espinosa.
In a previous interview, Treñas told Panay News he may look for other possible candidates for congressman if he couldn’t get Espinosa.
“Damu qualified, may track record and can do the job,” he said./PN