Legarda-Cadiao split inevitable

By Herbert Vego

THERE is no way to go for Senator Loren Legarda and Antique Governor Rhodora “Dodod” Cadiao but break their political alliance due to personal differences laced with political issues which we would rather not discuss yet.

The fact is that with Cadiao “graduating” from her third term as governor, her only alternative to stay in power is to run against re-electionist Congressman Antonio Agapito “AA” Legarda Jr., a brother of Loren, a “pangayaw” hitherto unknown in Antique until he ran and won for congressman in 2022.

AA, who is in his first term, is in no mood to give way to Dodod even if they could swap via the 2025 election. Thus, expect the two to clash for the lone Antique congressional seat in 2025.

Dodod must be sorry now for having aligned herself with a stranger rather than a “tumandok,” Atty. Ade Fajardo, in 2022. Ade lost to AA for the House seat.

If I got it right from the grapevine, AA would have former Valderrama Mayor Ray Roquero as his partner/candidate for governor. Another version, however, mentions former Congressman Paolo Javier as more favorable to AA because Palo’s dad, “has been” politician Boy Ex, used to be a professor of Liza Araneta, who is now First Lady.

For vice-governor, the Legarda group appears to be fielding winsome Board Member Mayella “Maye” Plameras.

Now, there seems to be a dilemma hounding Cadiao as to whom to pick to replace her. We used to see the name of Vice-Governor Edgar Denosta on our viewfinder.  But he could be dropped like a hot potato in favor of a richer former mayor.

He is former Pandan Mayor Jonathan “Tantan” Tan, newly-terminated administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), who is now an undersecretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). But Tan is said to be unhappy with his present assignment.

My friend and fellow columnist Diego Cagahastian of the Manila-based tabloid Opinyon seems to be deploring Tan’s transfer to a less glamorous post. He wrote that it was through Tan that the government uncovered and confiscated “the biggest smuggling of shabu worth P3.6 billion at a warehouse in Mexico, Pampanga last year.”

Tan’s sacking sounds unbelievable because he had been “promoted” by podcaster Maharlika as the SBMA “bagman” of a certain Liza Smuggs.

Anyway, being a BBM loyalist, he still has the confidence kuno of the President, who would back him up for the Antique governorship.

Should Tantan make it as Cadiao’s gubernatorial ally, according to political analyst Joe Escartin, popular Board Member Pio Sumande stands a good chance of being his running mate for vice governor.

Quo vadis, Señor Denosta?

-oOo-

FROM BASTE AND SARA TO BBM

“Resign!”

It was with that single word in a “prayer rally” that Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte asked President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos to move out of Malacañang.

Vice President Sara Duterte obviously tried to soften the impact of his brother’s word by describing it as an expression of “brotherly love.”

Sara herself had been under pressure to resign from her post as Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), having lost the confidence of the President. How kapal-muks of her to cling on to the Cabinet, which is considered the official family of the President!

Baste and Sara’s dad, former President Rodrigo Duterte, has been maligning BBM for being a “bangag” or a cocaine addict.

I have no doubt in my mind, though, that VP Sara herself would wish BBM to heed her brother’s call.  If BBM resigns, she would no longer be a spare tire but “the tire” running the country as President.

Because of that, BBM may pass on Baste’s “resign” challenge to Sara, who is now emerging as the real threat to his own survival.  If he does not take good care of his health or his security, he could drop dead.

Remember how Mayor Antonio Halili of Tanauan City dropped dead on July 2, 2018 while standing at attention during a flag ceremony? The assassin has remained unidentified.

-oOo-

RAZON IS THE REASON

ILOILO City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas is grateful to billionaire Enrique K. Razon Jr. – chairman of MORE Electric and Power Corp. — for another big investment in Iloilo City.

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has awarded Razon’s International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) the 25-year concession contract to develop and operate the Iloilo Commercial Port Complex (ICPC) in Lapuz district.

“The improvement of our port facilities,” Treñas said, “will boost the confidence of investors and traders to do business in Iloilo. It will also enhance the competitiveness of our local products and services in the global market.”

It means expansion of the port facility, which has 627 meters of operational quay length and 20 hectares of land for container and general cargo storage, warehousing, and other cargo-handling activities. The project has a budget of P10.5 billion.

Once completed, the ICPC will be renamed Visayas Container Terminal (VCT).