Iloilo guv bolts ruling party, joins NUP

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. confirmed Thursday that he had left the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN) and will run for re-election under the National Unity Party (NUP).

In his weekly press conference, Defensor said his slate is “around 90 percent” complete even as the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2022 elections began on October 1, 2021.

Defensor referred to his arrangements with incumbent provincial board members and congressional representatives, saying there are no shifts in allegiances of local politicians who are members of the Nacionalista Party (NP).

But he did announce that he sought permission from PDP-LABAN (Cusi wing) Secretary General Melvin Matibag before joining Uswag Ilonggo Party, a regional party formed by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas.

The PDP-LABAN Cusi wing will field Senator Bong Go as its presidential candidate and President Rodrigo Duterte as its vice-presidential candidate.

Uswag Ilonggo Party, where Defensor is now regional chairperson, is aligned with NUP in the national level.

Other provincial counterparts of the party were also installed in Antique, Aklan, and Guimaras.

Defensor said that his brother, Rep. Lorenz Defensor (Iloilo-3rd), and provincial mayors who were aligned with him are also inclined to move to Uswag and NUP.

“I am a member of Uswag Ilonggo, a regional party which started in Iloilo City. It was started by [Treñas]. We have counterparts in Guimaras, Antique, and Aklan. That can help us focus when we are deciding for the province,” he said.

Defensor also bared his main platform for the 2022 elections under the new party, which he called “MoReProGRes” (Movement for Resurgent, Progressive, Globally Competitive, and Resilient Iloilo).

The platform is anchored on the governor’s “social justice agenda”, citing his inaugural speech in 2019 where he envisioned Iloilo province to be “livable, resilient, progressive, and globally competitive” with a mission “for local governments to provide equitable distribution of resources and opportunities through good governance”.

“The purpose of [MoReProGRes] is for the province, through the [Uswag Ilonggo Party] and the [NUP], to pursue our social justice agenda, which we made since the start of our term. We simplified the mission and vision of the province,” the governor said.

Defensor said he will seek reelection sans a running mate, pointing to an earlier agreement with incumbent vice-governor Christine Garin of the NP, who is reported to run for her final term.

As to when he would file his candidacy, the governor reiterated that it was “still not final” but hinted at his birthday on Oct. 8, which is also the last day of submissions to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).

OTHER MEMBERS

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas affirmed Defensor’s membership with Uswag and the NUP, as well as the memberships of former Guimaras Governor JC Rahman Nava and his wife, Guimaras lone district Rep. Ma. Lucille Nava.

“I did meet with Defensor [on Friday], together with [JC Rahman] Nava and [Rep. Lucille]. We are coming together for the Uswag Ilonggo regional party,” the mayor told Daily Guardian.

Treñas said that his main goal with the new party is to bring Iloilo City’s development to other areas of Western Visayas.

“We have seen [Iloilo City’s] rapid development, and we want to bring that to the whole region, and we are happy that we have support from all throughout the region. We want to bring the development not only to Iloilo City but across Region 6,” he said.

Other leaders who have indicated their support according to the mayor include Governors Rhodora Cadiao (Antique), Florencio Miraflores (Aklan), and several unnamed Capiz mayors.