‘TREXIT’: Iloilo City mayor nixes re-election, endorses daughter Raisa instead

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan and Jennifer P. Rendon

Is Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas sacrificing his political career for his family’s sake and to avoid a bruising campaign against a formidable rival?

In a surprising move, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas announced on Thursday, October 3, that he will not seek re-election for a third and final term. Instead, he is endorsing his daughter, executive assistant Raisa Treñas-Chu, to run for mayor.

Reports about Chu replacing her father on the ticket surfaced earlier on Thursday, and the mayor’s chief of staff, Jonas Bellosillo, later confirmed the information to a radio station.

The official announcement from Treñas came via a Viber message to the media, followed by a public statement on Facebook.

“It has been my greatest honor to serve as your City Mayor. While I intended to finish my term, I believe it is in the best interest of Team Uswag and the city for me to stand down and focus on fulfilling my duties as City Mayor for the remainder of my term,” the mayor said.

“In the spirit of unity, we are joining forces with incumbent Representative Julienne Baronda for the Lone District and my daughter Raisa for Mayor,” he added.

Treñas described the alliance as “formidable,” expressing confidence in their collective strength.

“We can accomplish so much if we are united and think as one Ilonggo family for the good of our future generations,” he said.

Treñas began his announcement by highlighting Iloilo City’s progress under his leadership, noting the city’s recognition as one of the most progressive highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in the country, with numerous national and international awards.

He also emphasized improvements in the quality of life and ease of doing business in Iloilo, citing advancements in jobs, housing, healthcare, and other services for Ilonggos.

“Ang tanan nga ini indi ko mahimo kon wala ang suporta kag bulig sang tagsa-tagsa. Sa tion sang pandemya, nag-ululupod kita sa pag-batò tubtob nalampuwasan naton ini. Ginbuylugan ninyo ang aton mga programa kag proyekto para sa kabataan, kababainhan, kag katigulangan. Gin-buligan ninyo ako para magpadayon ang kauswagan, kalinong kag katawhayan sang aton syudad,” he said.

(I could not have done this without everyone’s support and help. During the pandemic, we fought together until we overcame it. You helped with our programs and projects for the youth, women, and the elderly. You helped me in continuing the progress, peace, and order of our city.)

The mayor also disclosed that he was recovering from a bile duct operation, further fueling speculation that health concerns were a factor in his decision to step aside for the 2025 race.

Treñas’ spokesperson, Joy Fantilaga, confirmed via Messenger that the mayor had gone to Manila for a routine checkup, denying rumors of serious health issues.

This confirmation followed a September 28 memorandum from City Administrator Melchor Tan, which designated Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon as acting mayor until Treñas’ return.

Chu was initially expected to run for the Lone District congressional seat, currently held by Baronda, but political shifts led to her candidacy for mayor instead.

When asked for clarification on whether this marked Treñas’ retirement or the nature of his illness, Fantilaga stated that these questions would be addressed once the mayor returns to city hall.

Treñas has been a prominent figure in Iloilo politics for nearly 38 years, starting from his appointment as city councilor in 1986. He was elected to a full term in 1988 and returned to the council in 1995.

He briefly served as mayor in 1992, succeeding and being succeeded by then-mayor Mansueto Malabor. Treñas ran against Malabor in 1998 but lost.

He was first elected as mayor from 2001 to 2010, then served as the Lone District representative from 2010 to 2019.

‘JAMMED?’

In response to initial reports, the spokesperson for former mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, Pastor Stanley Flores, said there were no developments on their end yet.

“We have yet to arrive at a decision as we are still discussing the proposal with our supporters and leaders. We will announce any development as soon as we reach a decision. We humbly seek your prayers for guidance,” Flores said in a statement Thursday morning.

After Treñas’ confirmation, Mabilog’s camp declined to comment but invited the media to a ‘Gugma Sulong Day’ event on October 8, the last day for filing certificates of candidacy.

‘Sulong’ refers to the slogan of former Mayor Mabilog, who returned to the country in September after seven years of political exile in Canada and the United States.

Since his return, speculation has grown that Mabilog may seek to reclaim his former position, despite being barred from public office after his dismissal by the Ombudsman in 2017 on corruption charges.

The administrative case against him was dismissed by the Court of Appeals in 2021.