Battle royale: Joson, Villareal slug it out for Ecija governor

CABANATUAN CITY — A battle royale involving two political dynasties in Nueva Ecija has shaped up. This, as re-elec-tionist Gov. Tomas Joson III and former two-term Rep. Julita Lorenzo-Villareal are slugging it out in the race for the top provincial post.

Joson submitted his certificate of candidacy with the provincial Commission on Elections (Co-melec) office last Monday, the last day of filing, accompanied by his wife May, running mate and younger brother, Quezon Mayor Mariano Cristino, son Edward Thomas and supporters from the Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija (Balane).

Joson is gunning for a third and last term as governor, and possibly his fourth over the last 12 years.

He was to run for a second consecutive term in 1995 but was detained in connection with the death of his archrival, the late Cabanatuan City mayor Hono-rato Perez Sr.

Mariano Cristino will attempt to succeed incumbent Vice Gov. Eduardo Joson IV who has decided to take a three-year sabbatical from politics.

Aside from Tomas III and Mariano Cristino, other Josons seeking elective positions are Edward Thomas, who is running for provincial board member in the third district; Mariano Cristino’s wife, first district Rep. Josie Manuel-Joson, and their son Dale who hopes to succeed his father as Quezon town mayor; and former governor and former National Food Authority (NFA) administrator Eduardo Nonato II ("Edno").

Edno is running for senator under the banner of the Aksyon Demokratiko party of former Sen. Raul Roco.

The Josons are scions of the late former six-term governor Eduardo "Tatang" Joson Sr. The elder Joson was eased out of office in the aftermath of the 1986 EDSA Revolution, but returned to the capitol in 1988. He died the following year.

Another Joson, Eduardo III, also known as Danding, was this city’s vice mayor until he was ambushed on Nov. 30, 1989.

Villareal, daughter of the late former mayor Maximino Lo-renzo, served for two terms as congresswoman of the fourth district, of which her husband, Raoul, is the incumbent congressman.

A brother, Victorio, was also a former congressman of the fourth district. His wife, Sonia, is seeking a third and last term as mayor of their hometown of San Isidro, challenged by former mayor Nestor Magno.

Julita, who is running as an independent in the May 10 polls, first ran for congresswoman in 1988 but lost to Nicanor de Guzman Jr.

She came back in 1992 but lost to her brother Victorio. She tried a third time and won over Victorio, subsequently winning a second term in 1998 when the latter decided to support her re-election bid.

Julita has tapped Noeme Manlapas as her running mate.

Raoul is running for re-election against Rodolfo Antonino, son of the late former Sen. Gaudencio Antonino, and perennial candidate Justino Padiernos.

Aside from Julita and Raoul, other Villareals seeking elective positions are their sons Jojo and Chris, an incumbent board member.

Jojo, a first-timer, is gunning for a provincial board seat in the fourth district, hoping to succeed Chris who is running against his aunt, Sonia Lorenzo, for the San Isidro mayorship.

The Josons and Villareals used to be allies but parted ways in December 2000 when Julita fielded Raoul as congressman instead of seeking a third and last term, reportedly in violation of an agreement with the Josons.

The move was seen as a clever political tactic in view of the lack of credible opposition against Raoul.

Local political observers see Julita as by far the most credible opponent of Tomas III with her political savvy and reported huge campaign kitty.

However, they view the vice gubernatorial fight between Mariano Cristino and Manlapas as a mismatch, saying the latter is little known in local political circles.