The head-on collision in the 2022 elections between the Marcos and the Fariñas families, Ilocos Norte’s most influential political clans , has started to neutralized the much-vaunted Solid North sentiment supportive of the presidential candidacy of the province’s former governor, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Zsa Zsa Raval, coordinator of the Leni-Kiko volunteer group, disclosed that the decision of the Marcos family to field Bongbong’s son, Sandro, against incumbent Rep. Ria Christina Fariñas in the first district of Ilocos Norte gave rise to an anti-Marcos sentiment in the province.
Herself a member an influential clan in the province, Raval is backed by a big group of alumni of the state-run Mariano Marcos State University as volunteers for the Leni-Kiko campaign in Ilocos Norte.
The Ravals are a known opposition clan in Ilocos Norte. Zsa Zsa’s grandfather, lawyer Castor Raval, led a lonely opposition that criticized the human rights and corruption cases during the term of the late former president Ferdinand Marcos.
As a result of Sandro’s bid to unseat Rep. Fariñas, the congresswoman’s father, Rudy came out from semi-retirement to challenge incumbent Gov. Matthew Manotoc, son of Sen. Imee Marcos.
Rep. Fariñas, is the first female representative of the First District, which covers Laoag City and the municipalities of Bacarra, Bangui, Pasuquin, Piddig, Sarrat, Vintar, Burgos, Pagudpud, Adams, Carasi and Dumalneg.
Meanwhile, Rudy’s niece, Chevylle Fariñas, widow of former Mayor Roger Fariñas, will attempt to retake leadership of Laoag City currently headed by Mayor Michael Keon, cousin of Bongbong.
Rudy said in a radio interview that is running for governor to give Ilocos Norte residents a choice of leaders aside from the Marcoses who ran unopposed since 2010.
“I’m running because our last election for governor was way back 2010. When Imee was reelected in 2013, she was unopposed. In 2016, she was unopposed, because people were scared. In 2019, did not have opposition, so in 2022, had I not lined up, they would still be unopposed. People have no other choice,” said the Fariñas patriarch who is reportedly running under the banner of Partido Reporma chaired by presidential aspirant Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson.
Rep. Farinas slammed the Marcoses for being politically "greedy" and for trying to grab all the top elective posts in Ilocos Norte for their family.
“They now want to take the only position we’re serving in. I see that as being too greedy for power,” the lady solon said in a radio interview.