Friends Split, Foes Unite as CamSur Politics Heats Up

NAGA CITY-In politics, there is neither permanent friend nor permanent foe, and so it seems in Camarines Sur, Bicol's largest and most populous province.

Erstwhile feuding father and son Camarines Sur Representative Luis R. Villafuerte and Governor Luis Raymund "Lray" Villafuerte now both belong to the Nacionalista Party and are expressing support for its standard bearer Manny Villar, and for each other.

In the 2007 midterm elections, the two Villafuertes traded harsh words with each other. The elder Villafuerte even fielded and opponent for his son in the gubernatorial race, which the younger Villafuerte won by a landslide.

Naga City race

Former Camarines Sur Representative and Naga City Mayor Sulpicio Roco Jr., brother of the late Senator and Education Secretary Raul S. Roco, announced that he would run against city councilor John Bongat for the mayoralty of Naga City.

Bongat was chosen by the Liberal Party (LP) to succeed Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo, an LP stalwart. Roco was also endorsed by Robredo's party when he (Roco) ran for the mayoralty of Naga City in 1998.

City Councilor Bernadette Roco, who ran under Robredo's slate in 2007, is quitting Robredo's party in deference to her husband's candidacy against Robredo's candidate.

Fuentebella

Longtime bitter political foes Villafuerte Sr. and Camarines Sur Representative and Deputy Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella are now aligned because Nacionalista Party is adopting the latter (Fuentebella) to be its congressional candidate in the province's fourth district.

In 2007 Villafuerte Sr. aligned with the Alfelors of the province's fifth district. But weeks ago, Camarines Sur Representative Felix Alfelor parted ways with Villafuerte Sr. after the latter had decided to withdraw his support for Senator Francis Escudero's halted presidential bid.

Alfelor in turn had a talk with the LP. Reportedly, the provincial chapter of LP agreed to have Alfelor as guest candidate.

Andaya

Villafuerte Jr. would be facing congressional seat competition with former Camarines Sur Representative James Jacob. Villafuerte Sr. and Jacob were one when they both not supported the presidential candidacy of Roco in 2004.

On Saturday, Villafuerte Jr. accused Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. of deceiving the residents of the first district of the province after Andaya's wife Marissa had filed her certificate of candidacy for representative.

Villafuerte Jr. said Andaya might eventually substitute his wife and only had allowed his wife to file a COC first so he (Andaya Jr.) would know if he would have an opponent for the representation of the province's first district.

In a statement made over local radio station RMN-DWNX, Villafuerte Jr. said it was unlikely that Andaya would not run for congress "considering that the original first district was reapportioned into two districts so as to accommodate him (Andaya) and Camarines Sur Representative and presidential son Dato Arroyo.

Villafuerte Jr. already had fielded an opponent for Marissa.

Villafuerte Jr. and Andaya were former allies when the former was still a staunch supporter of Andaya's immediate superior, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Mabulo

The only unchanged high profile electoral race in the province is the anticipated duel between San Fernando town Mayor Fermin Mabulo and Representative Arroyo.

Mabulo's elder brother Sabas ran against Arroyo in 2007 but carried only two towns in the original first district resulting to a landslide win for the latter.

Fermin is also a former member of the Magdalo group of renegade soldiers, who staged a coup against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Dato's mother, in 2001 in what has been called as Oakwood mutiny. (Jonas Cabiles Soltes)