The Treñas-Baronda Tandem Holds On

By Herbert Vego

IN a manner of speaking, the fight has ended before it began. Congresswoman Julienne “Jamjam” Baronda has lost her opportunity to defend her House seat against Raisa Treñas-Chu, only daughter of Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas.

That “loss” is actually a win for both the Treñas and Baronda families, whose political rift began when the mayor announced in March that Raisa would run against the re-electionist congresswoman in 2025.

Yesterday, the mayor issued a signed statement of reversal saying, “In the spirit of unity, we are joining forces with Cong. Jam Baronda as Representative of the Lone District, and my daughter Raisa for Mayor.”

This means that the 67-year-old mayor would no longer run for his final three-year term to give way to his daughter and to retain their political alliance with Baronda.

By now, the mayor’s full statement has resonated with his constituents through the broadcast media; no need to repeat it here.

His sudden decision to quit politics could be seen as a survival instinct. He recently underwent an emergency surgery in a Quezon City hospital for a bile duct disease.

Shortly before the mayor issued his statement, the local radio broadcasters were feasting on the rumor that it was billionaire Enrique K. Razon – chairman of MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) – who had brokered the Treñas-Baronda reconciliation.

However, I would not confirm the rumor that Baronda had asked the billionaire to fund her campaign against Raisa but Razon turned it down, seeing no reason to stoke the fire. Eh kasi both the mayor and the congresswoman are his friends.

Therefore, the reunited ticket would have Baronda for congresswoman, Raisa Treñas for mayor and Jeffrey Ganzon for vice-mayor.

It remains to be seen whether an opposite trio would advance to be recognized.

“Sayang,” we heard some people saying, “sadya tani,” as if lamenting that the candidates’ change of heart would bring in no substantial manna from heaven.

Assuming, on the other hand, that the two ladies vie for the House post, then the incumbent mayor would run for his final three-year term, probably against former mayor Jed Mabilog.

We can’t blame Jamjam’s followers for expecting Jed to try to be mayor once again.  He has been very visible in Baronda-organized gatherings.

Anyway, Mabilog has not publicly declared any intention to return to politics so soon.  He has made it clear that his prime intention of coming home after seven years of self-exile in the United States is to deny his links to illegal drugs, adding that he left the country in 2017 to fend off a possible assassination attempt.

Most shocking was his statement about an alleged plan by the Duterte government to force him to implicate former senators Mar Roxas and Franklin Drilon in the illegal drug trade.

Mabilog, who ran and won for mayor in 2010, 2013 and 2016, is 59 years old. Still strong and healthy, he would do well to wait for 2018 before returning to politics.

-oOo-

I SEE BBM CHANGING STAND ON ICC

PRESIDENT Marcos’ survival as President of the Philippines until the end of his term in 2028 may depend on the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to proceed with its investigation of crimes against humanity during the incumbency of Rodrigo Duterte as mayor of Davao City and later as president of the Philippines.

Hence, expect him to change his stand against ICC “intervention”. He must remember that he was one of the 17 senators who ratified Philippine membership with the ICC (Senate Resolution No. 546) in 2011.

As stated by former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio in TV interviews, former president Duterte’s action of withdrawing our membership from the ICC was invalid because, being a treaty, it could only be repealed with the approval of Congress.

More than a year has passed since July 18, 2023 when the ICC Appeals Chamber rejected the country’s plea to abort its investigation of the Duterte administration’s crimes against humanity.