Cagayan Valley govs divided over presidential candidates

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya– Cagayan Valley’s five governors are divided over whom to support among the candidates for president.

Three of the incumbents, Quirino’s Dakila Cua, Cagayan’s Alvaro Antonio and Batanes’ Telesforo Castillejos are supporting the presidential bid of former Defense secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, the official candidate of the administration’s Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

Isabela’s Grace Padaca and Nueva Vizcaya’s Luisa Lloren Cuaresma are rooting for the two leading presidentiables, Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III of the Liberal Party (LP) and Manny Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP), respectively.

“As far as I’m concerned, Senator Villar has the edge in Nueva Vizcaya. His coordinators are everywhere here, pushing for his bid and that is an important factor in winning an election,” said Cuaresma, whose Abante Vizcaya party is affiliated with Villar’s NP.

Besides Cuaresma, other members of her party include Rep. Carlos Padilla, the acknowledged Abante Vizcaya godfather, Vice Gov. Jose Gambito, majority of the provincial board members and at least nine of Nueva Vizcaya’s 15 mayors with the rest rooting for Aquino.

Re-electionists Padilla and Cuaresma are up against former Commission on Elections commissioner Ralph Lantion and Santa Fe Mayor Florante Gerdan, respectively, both of the Arya Vizcaya which is likewise affiliated with the LP.

Likewise, Padaca’s bid for her third and last gubernatorial term is being threatened by three-term Rep. Faustino Dy III, who is supporting Teodoro’s bid for the presidency.
“I’m for Gibo 101 percent. Thirty of the 36 Isabela mayors are working hard for his election here and that will make him win handily in the province,” Dy said.

For his part, Cua said that Teodoro has the support of majority of the province’s six mayors which include some vote-rich towns.

A first-term governor, Cua is seeking Quirino’s lone congressional district seat to be vacated by his father, three-term Rep. Junie Cua, who is running for governor against former three-term governor Pedro Bacani of NP.

In the northernmost mainland Cagayan, although the incumbent governor and vice governor are supporting Teodoro, the province’s 28 mayors are divided among Aquino, Villar, Teodoro and former President Joseph Estrada of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino.

While the Enriles of Cagayan’s first district are supporting Alvaro’s re-election for governor, the still politically-influential family led by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, along with at least six mayors, is backing Estrada’s bid to reclaim the presidency.

Alvaro’s gubernatorial rival, graduating Rep. Manuel Mamba of Cagayan’s third district is backing Aquino’s presidential candidacy.

Buguey town Mayor Ignacio Taruc, who is allied with the Mambas, is reportedly the only town chief executive rooting for Aquino.

“It’s not the number of incumbents that will spell victory for Noynoy, but it’s the support of the people for him which is felt throughout the province, this will spell victory for him,” Mamba said.

“Most of the incumbents here support Villar, Estrada and Teodoro. I don’t know how they can all unite behind each other when their bosses are fighting with each other already,” he added. -- CL