Ex-mayor’s nephew, perennial candidate file election bids

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

On the first day of the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COC), only two aspirants submitted their candidacies: the nephew of former Iloilo City Mayor Jose “Joe” Espinosa III and a perennial political hopeful.

Jose “Mor” Espinosa IV, a resident of Zamora Melliza, City Proper, officially filed his COC to run for city councilor as an independent candidate. Mor is the nephew of former Mayor Jose Espinosa III.

This marks Mor’s second attempt at securing a seat on the City Council, having previously run in the 2022 elections, where he placed 19th out of the 12 available seats.

When asked about his support for any mayoral or congressional candidates, Espinosa declined to comment, stating, “Right now, we are still working on certain parties to support.”

Espinosa said his platform focuses on empowering senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

“When I visited villages, that is one glaring or clear problem that should be addressed in the City Council, and I hope that I will be given the chance this 2025,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mel Carreon, known for his numerous attempts at various political positions, has once again announced his candidacy for the upcoming May 2025 midterm elections.

Marking his 11th attempt to win an electoral seat, Carreon is aiming to become the lone district representative of Iloilo City.

“Never try to underestimate your enemy. Let’s keep moving and keep campaigning,” he said in an interview.

Carreon first entered the political arena in 1992, running for councilor but facing a significant defeat. His subsequent attempt for the vice mayoral position in 1995 also ended in a loss.

Undeterred, Carreon ran for mayor in 1998 and 2001 but was unsuccessful. His 2004 congressional run also failed, prompting him to take a break during the 2007 elections.

Carreon returned in 2010, initially running for president but later switching to the city vice mayoralty race, where he again did not succeed.

He continued his efforts in 2013 and 2016, running for a seat on the City Council but failing to secure a win.

In 2018, he initially ran for senator but withdrew to run for city mayor instead. His most recent attempt was in the 2022 congressional elections.

Despite his repeated losses and lower popularity compared to his rivals, Carreon has consistently managed to avoid receiving zero votes in his various campaigns.