League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) president and Narvacan Mayor Luis “Chavit’’ Singson said Monday, Jan 24 that any support from the Camarines Sur mayors for the presidential bid of Ferdinand “Bongbong’’ Marcos Jr. is most welcome.
Camarines Sur is a known bailiwick of Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni’’ Robredo who is also running for president in the 2022 national election.
In a private meeting in Camarines Sur on Jan. 17, the Marcos camp noted that at least 11 mayors in the province have expressed their support for Marcos’ presidential bid.
Singson who was present at the meeting claimed that the mayors knew that the presidential bet was in the event as they were never forced to attend the occasion.
But several Camarines Sur mayors denied having supported Marcos’ candidacy.
In an interview over ABS-CBN, Singson stated that “ganyan ang politics (that is politics)’’ and it is okay if some mayors denied their support for BBM (Bongbong Marcos) since there are others in favoring Marcos’s presidential bid.
Further, Singson explained being happy if nine mayors remained supportive of Marcos’ candidacy, saying that previously there were no groups leading Marcos’ campaign in the province.
However, Singson added that the controversy hounding the mayors’ support for Marcos’s presidential bid can be traced to the supporters of warring local leaders former Rep. Rolando “Nonoy’’ Andaya and Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. Luis Raymund “El Ray’’ Villafuerte.
“Yes, kanya kanyang mayors yan pero yung mga nag attend meron kay Nonoy (Andaya), may kay Villafuerte ( Yes, some mayors who attended were for Nonoy, some were for Villafuerte), he added when pressed if the mayors are caught between the conflict.
He added that the Ilocano people from the north will support any president that could lead the country in stating their support for the Marcos/Duterte tandem.
“Hindi na kami tumitingin sa region, taga probinsiya, taga ganito ganito (We do not look what region they come from, from what province, from here or there),’’ Singson said.
“Ilocano people are not blind followers. We will support any president that we believe that could lead our country,’’ he added.
In a Jan 20 interview in ANC, Robredo claimed she is not bothered by reports that some Camarines Sur mayors are supporting Marcos’ presidential candidacy.
She stressed that she won the vice presidential race in 2016 because she was supported by her “kababayans (townmates).’’
“Noong 2016 (In 2016), when I was running for VP (vice-president), halos walang malaking pulitiko dito sa Bicol region na nag-throw ng support for me (almost no established political parties here in the Bicol region threw their support for me). And I was expecting that. There were five of us Bicolanos out of six candidates, pero (but) I still got almost 70 percent of the Bicolano votes,’’ Robredo said.
In the 2016 national election, Robredo ran against Francis Escudero, Gringo Honasan, Alan Peter Cayetano, Antonio Trillanes, and Marcos who was the only one who has no Bicolano roots.
In the 2022 presidential race, Robredo pointed out that she is the only candidate from Bicol emphasizing that the support from the people in her hometown is much more intense than in the 2016 national elections. (Chito A. Chavez)