By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas has offered a councilor seat on his Uswag slate to former Mayor Jose “Joe” Espinosa III, signaling a potential end to their political rift since 2019.
In a press conference on Monday, September 16, Treñas confirmed that he personally extended the offer to Espinosa, who has yet to accept the invitation.
“I am very grateful. I met Joe several times, and we were finally able to talk seriously about politics,” Treñas said.
Treñas believes the reconciliation was possible due to a go-ahead from Espinosa’s wife, Gina. Treñas and Espinosa are brothers-in-law, as their wives are sisters.
In the 2019 elections, then-city representative Treñas accused Joe and Gina of requesting ₱100 million in exchange for Joe not running against him for mayor. With no agreement reached, the two competed for the mayoralty, with Treñas winning by a large margin.
In July, Treñas expressed his willingness to reconcile with Espinosa for the sake of family, after a photo surfaced showing Treñas’ children with Espinosa at a local coffee shop.
On September 11, Treñas shared a Facebook photo of himself with Espinosa and his daughter, all giving the thumbs-up — the Uswag slate’s symbol. “It was a special night,” Treñas wrote, praising Espinosa for supporting his daughter, Raisa Treñas-Chu, who will run for Congress in 2025.
PLACEHOLDER?
The offer to Espinosa came after Jeck Conlu resigned as head of the Public Order and Safety Management Office (POSMO) and vacated his seat on the Uswag slate on September 10.
“There was an offer from me because Jeck stepped out and said he would no longer run, and he resigned from the city government,” Treñas explained.
Conlu’s withdrawal coincided with the return of former Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog after seven years in exile. However, Conlu said his resignation and Mabilog’s return were unrelated.
POSMO is now led by JV Mabilog as officer-in-charge.
Treñas said he was surprised by Conlu’s resignation but knew he had plans to join the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. Treñas had previously courted Conlu to join his slate.
If Espinosa declines the offer, Treñas said he has at least four prospective candidates to fill the vacant seat but declined to name them.
“In politics, you really have to be prepared,” he added.
