TRINIDAD Mayor Atty. Roberto “Ondoy” C. Cajes expects that a “free zone” for the Alayon Trinidad group he leads and Vice-Mayor Fernando Erio’s camp would likely happen come May 2025 elections.
The mayor told a press conference here during the gathering in launching the Alayon Trinidad last week that he anticipates a free zone.
Free zone, in most instances in the country’s electoral exercises, is given that the common candidate, say, governor, supported by two or more warring political parties, won’t indorse nor show support literally to either party.
Both Alayon Trinidad, now merged with the group of Johnny Orioque and the camp of Erio expressed support for the administration and election campaign for Gov. Aris Aumentado and Congw. Vanvan Aumentado in the second district.
It was not known why the group of Erio, who once said that he did not support Vanvan Aumentado in the 2022 elections, abandoned Mayor Cajes’ camp in which he campaigned for in the past elections.
Online report said that Congw. Vanvan Aumentado has already endorsed Erio as her candidate for mayor against Cajes in 2025 mid-term elections.
The situation in this town is volatile. It is similarly politically-situated with Tagbilran City and Ubay, the hometown of the governor. It may be like the saying, “torn between two lovers” for Capitol tenants to whom they support or indorse.
Unconfirmed reports said that last-termer Ubay Mayor Costan Reyes’ wife, Violeta Reyes, an incumbent municipal councilor, is positioning to gun for mayor in next year’s polls.
Ubay incumbent Vice-Mayor Victor Bonghanoy and incumbent councilor IC Besas are reportedly to throw their hats in the mayoralty race, too.
The same report said that all these contenders for Ubay mayor are avid followers and are to throw support for the candidacy of the Gov. and Congresswoman Aumentado.
In Tagbilaran City, incumbent City Mayor Jane Cajes-Yap is set for reelection with her still running-mate, city Vice-Mayor Atty. Adam Relson Jala.
Yap’s probable opponent in the city mayoralty derby is incumbent city Councilor Atoy Torralba, who was then under the slate of Yap in the last elections.
Jane Cajes Yap is the daughter of incumbent Trinidad Mayor Cajes and councilor Atoy Torralba is the son of then city Mayor Jose V. Torralba.
All of them (Yap and Torralba) claimed they will support the governor. The latter has yet to show his support for congressman in the first district.
Jane Cajes Yap’s husband, former city mayor Baba Lim Yap has already declared he is for congressman in the first district. If he will file this coming October his Certificate of candidacy (COC), he will be facing incumbent Cong. Edgardo M. Chatto. That is if Chatto decides for his reelection for last term as member of the House of Representatives. (rvo)
