“Leadership is a choice, not a position.” –Stephen Covey
The most senior member of the Iloilo City Council, Atty. Eduardo ‘Ed’ Peñaredondo, has all the right to run for mayor next year. He is even more senior than incumbent Iloilo City Mayor Jose ‘Joe III’ Espinosa III and Iloilo City lone district Rep. Jerry P. Treñas, who are reportedly both considering mayoral runs in 2019 and have been feuding over alliances.
Some believe, if the relationship between Espinosa and Treñas remains frosty by Christmas, it would be best to pick another candidate and shun the leading bets. However, while very credible and highly competent, Peñaredondo has not shown an interest in the City Hall job; even if he were interested, nobody among his peers on the city council appear ready to take him seriously as a candidate – at least, not yet.
If his peers in city government were to rally behind Peñaredondo, Espinosa and Treñas would understand and would not take it personally. They also know, because of their ongoing unnecessary and useless altercation, their friends on the city council are awfully confused, affected, and hurt. In fact, city council members, including Peñaredondo, are in a quandary ever since the Espinosa-Treñas relationship deteriorated – essentially, torn between two lovers.
They also have no reason to eschew either Espinosa or Treñas, who have been and are still part of their political lives.
The predicament is similar to a child watching their parents argue, they can’t take sides – even department heads and some barangay officials are in a similar dilemma. They love both Espinosa and Treñas (they weren’t political enemies at first), but now they have to select one city mayor.
In terms of the gubernatorial race, some have a naughty suspicion, since Iloilo first district Rep. Oscar ‘Richard’ Garin, Jr. said his clan is “still not committed,” the family is “cooking up something.” They speculate one of the Garins may announce their candidacy.
Observers also may have misinterpreted Garin’s actions after witnessing the congressman, on several occasions, trying to worm his way closer to President Rodrigo Duterte at every opportunity, including the recent State of the Nation Address, where the legislator was spotted smiling ear-to-ear as he slowly approached and slightly made contact with the president while the latter was shaking hands.
These doubting Thomases have probably forgotten Garin’s wife, former Department of Health Secretary Janette Loreto Garin, is involved in the ongoing Dengvaxia controversy.
Which is more important? Securing an endorsement from the president in order to win an important elective post or seeing your wife unburdened from criminal liability? Think./WDJ