Defensor Jr.’s act of political hubris

By Alex P. Vidal  

“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.” — Ernest Benn

IF Iloilo Governor Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. is facing a stronger opponent in the May 12, 2025 midterm elections, he will not dare endorsing candidates running for other local positions outside Iloilo Province.

He will think about the saying “mind your own business.”

But because Defensor Jr. felt he could easily put away his only rival, independent candidate Mary Frances Chloe Noble of Barangay Baybay Sur, Miag-ao, Iloilo, he didn’t hesitate to endorse Iloilo City Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, who is running for reelection.

As official candidate of the administration’s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) and backed by some of the province’s influential politicians, Defensor Jr. is considered “safe”; his reelection for third and final term is almost in the bag.

At the back of his mind, Defensor Jr., with his open endorsement of Ganzon, has nothing to lose even if he would infuriate the camp of Iloilo City vice mayoral candidate Love Baronda, Ganzon’s rival.

If his endorsement wasn’t sought (because, in the first place, it isn’t necessary), the least Defensor Jr. could have done was “not to interfere” with Iloilo City politics.

Politics for Defensor Jr. is not addition but act of hubris.

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Defensor Jr. had exhorted residents of Iloilo Province “with relatives in Iloilo City to tell your friends and relatives to vote for Vice Mayor (Jeffrey) Ganzon.”

No one knows why Defensor Jr. would go to the extent of ingratiating himself with Ganzon and antagonizing the Barondas when he has nothing to do whatsoever with Iloilo City politics.

Would Defensor Jr. belabor himself endorsing Ganzon in Iloilo City if in his own turf he was facing a gubernatorial challenge from the titanic political clans of Garin, Tupas, Biron and his reelection bid in Iloilo Province in peril?

Interestingly, Defensor Jr. didn’t endorse Ganzon’s running mate, mayoral candidate Raisa Trenas-Chu, who is running against independent candidate Roland Magahin.

Did the governor feel there was no need for him to endorse Trenas-Chu since, anyway, she is running against Iloilo Province’s version of Mary Frances Chloe Noble?

Now, even if Baronda will retaliate by telling Iloilo City residents “with relatives in Iloilo Province to vote for 28-year-old Mary Frances Chloe Noble” against Defensor Jr., it won’t be enough to dent Defensor Jr.’s reelection bid since Noble, unknown and not supported by a strong political party, isn’t expected to give Defensor Jr. a serious trouble unlike the “close” rivalry between Ganzon and Baronda.

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