Pro-Syjuco mayors unfazed by Arenas’ congressional bid
Leon Mayor Romulo Cabana, political campaign manager of the Syjucos, yesterday said that they are not at all bothered by the intention of Ramon “Citoy” Arenas, son of socialite Rosemarie “Baby” Arenas, to run for congressman of the second district in next year’s election.
Cabana, who led a gathering of some of the mayors of the second district supportive of the Syjucos, said they are solidly behind incumbent Rep. Judy Jalbuena Syjuco and her husband Technical Education and Skills Development Administration (TESDA) Director General Augusto Syjuco.
Cabana maintained that six of the eight mayors of the second district, including himself, are in support of the Syjucos. They are mayors Juanito Alipao of Alimodian, Greg Villarico of San Miguel, Gregorio Brazas of Zarraga, Liecel Mondejar-Seville of New Lucena, and Adolf Jaen of Leganes.
Cabana belittled Arenas’s bid saying they (referring to the Arenases) do not even know how many towns are there in the second district and they haven’t been yet to the barangays of the district.
Meanwhile, the barangay captains of Zarraga, Iloilo issued a manifesto denying support to the congressional bid of Citoy Arenas. The manifesto signed by 22 barangay captains of Zarraga, which is claimed by Arenas as his hometown, said that they will “unconditionally support (the) candidacy of Cong. Judy Jalbuena Syjuco for re-election.”
Zarraga Mayor Gregorio Brazas said that the barangay captains who present in the luncheon hosted by the Arenases the other day explained to him that they went there because they were invited for lunch and not to support or endorse the candidacy of Arenas.
“How can the people of the second district expect a good and effective leadership if the one who aspires to become their leader does not even know the place and even the people,” Cabana told members of the media.
Cabana also reacted to Baby Arenas’s statement that there’s lack of infrastructures in the second district under the present leadership by saying that the mayors could attest that the Syjucos have given many projects in the second district.
Last Monday Baby Arenas announced in front of political figures and local leaders from the 2nd district that her son Citoy will face the Syjucos in the battle for the congressional seat of the second district of Iloilo province.
Arenas likened herself and son, Ramon, to Freddie Roach and Manny Pacquiao.
My son is Manny Pacquiao, and I am Freddie Roach, she said. So the fighter always obeys what the coach says, she added.
“So it will be a KO (knockout) in election day,” Arenas boasted.
She emphasized, though, that it will be her son, Ramon, who will be calling the shots.
“I’m just like Danding (Conjuangco), who is a kingmaker,” she said.
Arenas whose mother-in-law Dona Julieta Lopez-Arenas is from Iloilo said it is high time for Iloilo to regain its glory with her son’s political ambition. She lambasted the way the political reign in the second district is run. “After the husband, the wife takes over then back to the wife, they want to cling to their post eternally,” Arenas said referring to the Syjuco couple.
Ramon, who is with the Nationalist People’s Coalition, said he will be filing his certificate of candidacy on Nov. 28, 2009, after they shall have finished consulting the people of the second district.
He is a registered voter of Barangay Tubigan in the town of Zarraga. A mestizo looking Citoy speaks good Hiligaynon.
His sister, Rachel, is currently the representative of Pangasinan’s 3rd district.