Another Romualdez joins Leyte politics

TACLOBAN CITY — Another member of the Romualdez clan is running for Congress in this province in the coming May elections, virtually turning the local polls into a family affair.

Carlos "Caloy" Romualdez, son of incumbent Tacloban City Mayor Alfredo "Bejo" Romualdez, filed his candidacy Thursday noon to run for the congressional seat of Leyte’s second district.

The 43-year-old Romualdez is the latest member of the clan to join Leyte’s political fray. Aside from his father, his brother Alfred will be running for re-election as congressman of the province’s first district.

And not to be outdone, his uncle, former Ambassador Benjamin "Kokoy" Romualdez is reportedly set to run for governor of the province, a post he held 14 years ago when his sister, First Lady Imelda Marcos, was still in Malacañang.

The young Romualdez is running under the Partido ng Masang Pilipino, the political party of President Estrada. He will be going against Leyte Vice Gov. Trinidad "Ebbie" Apostol who is expected to run for the post of her husband, Rep. Sergio Apostol, whose third and last term will expire this year.

However, though his family is widely known in this province, Romualdez may have a hard time proving that he has complied with the required one-year residency in the congressional district he wishes to serve.

This early, three persons have filed an opposition to his candidacy, claiming that he is not a legitimate resident of the province but a resident of Quezon City in Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, Romualdez’ father may have found a match in former Tacloban Mayor Uldarico Mate who has also filed his candidacy to challenge the incumbent local chief.

Mate, known to be a former ally of the Romualdezes, is the official candidate of the opposition Lakas-NUCD.

"This is like war," warned Mate of his upcoming tussle with the old Romualdez. "I can beat him despite of his millions."

Mate served as city councilor from 1967 to 1971, then vice mayor from 1980 to 1986 before being elected mayor in 1992. He held the post up to 1998.

He said he was even the one who convinced Romualdez to go back to Leyte from Portugal to run as mayor. Their relationship, however, turned sour before the 1998 elections when Romualdez allegedly reneged on his promise to tap Mate’s son, Rudolf, to be his running mate for vice mayor.