From political rivals to allies.
In a surprise move, former Muntinlupa mayor Aldrin San Pedro has endorsed the candidacies of Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, who is running for congressman, and Rep. Ruffy Biazon, who is gunning to become the mayor in the May 9, 2022 national and local elections.
A photo was shared on Facebook showing San Pedro raising the hands of Fresnedi and Biazon in the mayor’s office on Dec. 22.
Biazon and Fresnedi, and San Pedro were rivals in local politics. San Pedro, who was the vice mayor, ran for mayor in Muntinlupa in 2007 and won his first term against Fresnedi’s wife, Loretta, who ran for the same position. Fresnedi was in his third and last term as mayor and was ineligible to run for reelection.
In 2010, San Pedro ran for reelection as mayor and won over Fresnedi. Biazon and San Pedro were allies during the latter’s first two terms. But in the 2013 election, Biazon and Fresnedi forged an alliance. Fresnedi defeated San Pedro in the mayoralty election, denying San Pedro his third and final term as mayor of Muntinlupa.
San Pedro ran again for mayor in the May 2016 election but lost to Fresnedi. San Pedro did not run in the May 2019 election and did not file his candidacy for any position for the 2022 elections.
In the 2019 polls, Fresnedi ran against Red Mariñas of the National Unity Party (NUP) and won his third and final term as mayor.
Ineligible for another term, Fresnedi is running for congressman. Biazon and Mariñas will be battling it out for the mayoralty post together with candidates Nelson Benjamin and Oscar Marmeto.
Ignacio “Toting” Bunye, former mayor and congressman of Muntinlupa, had earlier endorsed the candidacy of Biazon for next year’s elections.