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Defensor-Garin tandem almost a done deal
By Francis Allan L. Angelon
HOUSE Majority Floor Leader Arthur Defensor Sr. dispelled insinuations that the Garins of the first congressional district of Iloilo will not ally with him in the 2010 gubernatorial race.
A crisp laugh was Defensor's reply when told about the pronouncement of Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada that former congressman Oscar Garin will shun a Defensor-Garin tandem in next year's polls.
Defensor is reportedly eyeing the governor's office while his likely running mate is Board Member Richard Garin, the son of Oscar who is now the administrator of the Philippine Coconut Authority.
Mejorada based his analysis on the result of the 2004 gubernatorial race between Garin and Governor Niel Tupas Sr. in the third congressional district, Defensor's constituency. The result showed that Tupas garnered 416,593 votes against Garin's 254,751.
Mejorada said Garin could be hurting from the trouncing he got in the third district despite his alliance with Defensor.
Defensor said Mejorada is just trying to foment intrigue.
"That's not true. Ga pang intriga lang si Mejorada. Has he talked to (Oscar) Garin?" Defensor said.
Defensor said his option to reclaim the top Capitol seat "is almost likely" next year.
"The Defensor-Garin tandem is 90 percent done. We will reveal the other details because we don't want to telegraph our punches at this time," he added.
Reports from the Garin camp said Board Member Richard Garin, his wife Rep. Jeannette Garin (1st district, Iloilo) and Rep. Ferjenel Biron (4th district, Iloilo) will support the Defensor-Garin tandem in the 2010 polls.
Board Member Garin said in an interview with Aksyon Radyo that Defensor should reach out to his father Oscar "because we want the family to make a unified decision."
Garin debunks deal with Tupas
By Francis Allan L. AngeloIT'S still Defensor-Garin all the way to the May 2010 elections.
This was the firm assurance of Board Member Oscar Richard S. Garin as regards his tandem with House Majority Arthur D. Defensor Sr. who is seeking the governorship of Iloilo.
Garin cleared the air of the yarn that his father, Philippine Coconut Authority Administrator Oscar Garin struck an alliance with the Tupases to support the gubernatorial run of Barotac Viejo Mayor Raul Tupas.
"There is no deal with the Tupases. If ever that is true, it's unethical. Although my father and Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. have maintained their friendship after running against each other in 2004, there have been no talks or negotiations about our political plans with them," Garin said after filing his candidacy for vice governor Monday morning.
Stories filtering out of the Tupas camp say the Garins will support Mayor Tupas in the 2010 elections. In exchange, the Tupases, who are members of the Liberal Party, will not field candidates against the Garin group.
BM Garin said that if his wife, Rep. Jeanette Garin and mayors in their camp don't have opponents in next year's polls, it's because of their respective accomplishments and efforts as public officials, not for any political deal.
He said that if his father and Gov. Tupas were seen talking in the past days, "it's because they get invited to the same occasions aside from maintaining their cordial relationship."
"If ever my father talks to Gov. Tupas, I never authorized him to talk about my politics. The same thing is true for Gov. Tupas. My father did not even convince me run for vice governor. This is my own independent decision. We, the children of these two political leaders, are mature enough to decide on our political path," he added.
Garin said they continue to be committed to Rep. Defensor's gubernatorial run next year.
"I support the candidacy of Rep. Arthur Defensor for governor. Seven months ago, we heard that my father is interested to run for governor. He later clarified that he will not run but he will support Rep. Defensor. Our family including my wife and father are still committed to Rep. Defensor. We will exert our effort to support him," Garin said.
Garin said his tandem with Defensor "is a combination of a good planner and a good project implementor."
"Rep. Defensor has a dream of decent, honorable and transparent governance. And I join him in this vision that's why I am running with him," he added.
Oca Garin: We are solid for Defensor
By Francis Allan L. AngeloTHE Garin family in southern Iloilo will go all out for House Majority Floor Leader Arthur D. Defensor in his gubernatorial bid in the 2010 elections.
This was the assurance of former congressman and Philippine Coconut Authority chief Oscar Garin amidst reports that he struck a deal with the Tupas camp.
The patriarch of the Garin clan said they will do everything they can to help Defensor win the gubernatorial race in the 1st congressional district.
Garin, whose son Board Member Richard Garin is Defensor's running mate, said reports that he made a deal with the Tupases is a "divide-and-rule" tactic.
Reports said that Garin and the Tupases have agreed to support Barotac Viejo Mayor Raul Tupas for governor and BM Garin for vice governor, thereby leaving Defensor in the cold.
The reports said the Garins will campaign for Tupas in the 1st district while the Tupases will carry BM Garin in the 5ht district.
The Tupases reportedly agreed not to field any candidate against the Garin group as part of the deal.
One sign of the deal is the candidacy of former Miag-ao mayor and PNP general Gerardo Flores for the provincial board instead of running against incumbent 1st district Rep. Jeanette Garin.
The Garins will also support Flores' candidacy as part of the deal.
Garin said his reported deal with the Tupases is only meant to stir and break their alliance with Defensor.
"Whoever concocted these information maybe wants Arthur (Defensor) to react and vent his ire on us. But we all know that he is an astute and broad-minded politician. This is just plain intrigue," Garin said in separate interviews with Bombo Radyo and Aksyon Radyo.
Garin said the Tupases will have a hard time looking for candidates who will oppose their slate in the first district.
He cited the case of Oton where Mayor Vincent Flores who has settled his dispute with Vice Mayor Jose Neil Olivarez.
"If Mayor Flores has no opponent, it's not because of any godfather or deal. It is because he reconciled with his potential rival," Garin said.
Garin said they will support the candidacy of former Oton mayor Carina Flores for the Iloilo provincial board.
Garin said he will not be compelled to dance to other people's tune.
"They want other people to fight their own war by sowing these stories. We will do everything to help Art Defensor in the 1st district," he said.
Defensor-Garin tandem vows reforms at provincial gov't
By Francis Allan L. AngeloHOUSE Majority Floor Leader Arthur Defensor Sr. wants to restore decency at the Iloilo provincial government and the people's trust and confidence in government, reason why he wants to return to the capitol.
Defensor proffered this motivation when he formally declared his candidacy for governor in the May 2010 elections at Hotel Del Rio Thursday morning before a big group of local political leaders.
Defensor also introduced his running mate, Board Member Richard Garin, but cut short of their lineup for the provincial board.
Defensor said he is on a "crusade for reform and restoration of the people's faith and trust in government".
He said he had no plans to return to the provincial capitol "as I felt I have served the people well with honor and dignity."
But Defensor said there is a need to "put an end to continuity" and restore honor and dignity in the provincial government.
Apparently, Defensor was making swipes at the present administration of Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. which has been beset by issues of graft and corruption.
Defensor said he is confident to win the 2010 elections with the support of at least 32 mayors, provincial board members and other political behemoths in the province.
He also basked in his alliance with Garin whom he described as an able ally at the Capitol.
"I fell honored and privileged to have Board Member Richard Garin as my vice governor," Defensor said.
In response, Garin described Defensor's nine-year stint as governor as "a time of peace, dedicated and fruitful work, recognizance (sic) of responsibilities and honest transactions and liquidations."
