By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas has declared his support for the senatorial candidates of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., signaling a departure from his previous alignment with opposition candidates under the Liberal Party (LP).
“I am with the administration, so I will support the slate of the administration,” Treñas said in a press conference on February 17.
The mayor made the statement when asked about his stance on the Senate bids of former senators Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV and Kiko Pangilinan.
Treñas said he remains friends with Aquino and Pangilinan but believes they would understand his decision to back the administration-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial aspirants.
Despite his endorsement, he stressed that the outcome of the midterm elections would ultimately be up to the voters.
He also assured that Iloilo City remains open to all political rallies and campaign activities, regardless of party affiliation.
“It’s open to anyone. We will not stop them. That’s part of the democratic process,” he said.
On February 13, Marcos and his full senatorial slate visited Iloilo City for the second leg of their regional proclamation rally, which drew an estimated 35,000 supporters, though falling short of the expected turnout.
The rally also led to the collection of around 400 kilograms of illegal campaign materials along Diversion Road, including posters nailed to trees.
While such postings violate Commission on Elections (Comelec) regulations, Treñas clarified that the candidates themselves should not be blamed for the infractions.
“You know, it’s not their fault, I guess. Some of the over-enthusiastic supporters, when they see that others are also posting theirs, they follow suit,” he said.
“I do not fault the candidates themselves,” he added.
Treñas has directed the General Services Office to coordinate with Comelec for the removal and proper disposal of illegal campaign materials in future campaign sorties in the city.
