Biliran governor insists: “No dynasty, but destiny”

NAVAL, BILIRAN, Philippines — Answering accusations of political dynasty of the Espinas in the island-province of Biliran, Governor Gerardo Espina Jr. insisted: “It is not dynasty, but sheer destiny.”

In an interview at his office at the Capitol in this capital town, Governor Espina said the anti-political dynasty moves is mainly a legislative act, vested upon Congress, and local government officials can only wait for its enactment and will just have to abide by what it mandates.

President Benigno Aquino III, in his last state-of-the-nation address, said the appropriate time has come for the passage of an anti-dynasty law, but as there is no such law yet at this time, Espina said he could not agree there is dynasty in the province.

In the 2016 elections, Governor Espina is running for his third term under the Liberal Party against former university president Susan Henson of the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

His elder brother, Representative Roger Espina (lone district, Biliran) is vying for re-election against incumbent Naval town Mayor Susan Parilla, also of the NPC.

Their other brother Kawayan town Mayor Rudy Espina is also bidding for re-election, while Roger’s son, Provincial Board Member Gerard Roger Espina is aiming for the mayoralty seat of Naval against Annie Limpiado.

The governor, however, argued: “You do not force the people to vote for you, but they are electing you for the position. If people do not like you, even if there are ten of you in the Espina family who are running in the elections, no one will get a vote. Even if there is only one Espina candidate, if people like you, then you will get elected.”

The domination of political families in Biliran have a similar situation in Eastern Visayas: The Petilla clan in Leyte province, the Romualdezes in Tacloban City and Leyte’s 1st congressional district, the Apostols in Leyte’s 2nd district, the Ongs of Northern Samar and the Tans of Western Samar.

Governor Espina said that in Biliran, “everyone knows everybody” considering the size of the island-province, and that Biliranons know his hands-on style of governance, which resulted in the province’s conferment of the Seal of Good Local Governance from the Department of Interior and Local Government.

The elections in Biliran have no more need of guns, goons and gold, “or the 3Gs,” because Biliranons have been strongly against these. “Speculations on the use of these 3Gs tactics are inevitable, but these never happened here in Biliran,” Governor Espina declared.

“The people in Biliran know whom to vote and who are genuinely serving the public, thus the 3Gs are not anymore necessary because the people know in their hearts who to vote for,” he said. (FREEMAN)