BANGUED, Abra – Former political allies for nearly a decade that resulted to the realization of the conduct of peaceful and orderly elections over the past political exercises have become political rivals in the upcoming May 2016 synchronized national elections.
The relationship of Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin and Rep. Maria Jocelyn Valera-Bernos was severed after the latter allegedly announced her intention to run for the gubernatorial post which the former will vacate when she still has one term remaining.
Bersamin, who is on his last term as local chief executive of the province, will be pinning his hopes to the mayoralty post of the capital town of Bangued and that he will be facing incumbent Mayor Dominique Velera, father of the lady lawmaker, in a one-on-one matchup.
For the province’s gubernatorial post, Bernos will be facing Tuby Bersamin, wife of the incumbent governor, in a head on battle during the upcoming elections.
Three-term San Juan Mayor Marco Bautista will be fielded by the Liberal Party (LP) in the congressional post and he will be facing La Paz Mayor Joseph Bernos, brother-in-law of Maria Jocelyn, who will be fielded by a still undisclosed political party for the said position vacated by the lady lawmaker.
The administration party chaired by Gov. Bersamin will also be fielding former Vice Governor Rolando Somera for the vice gubernatorial position while incumbent Vice Governor Rosario Charry Bersamin, daughter of the late Rep. Luis Bersamin, Jr., will be seeking election for the vice mayoralty post of the capital town of Bangued.
Gocv. Bersamin expressed confidence that with the expected intensed political rivalry among the involved politicians, the peaceful and orderly atmosphere that was established during the May 2013 mid-term elections will still remain, and that the province’s electorate should be left to decide on who will be their choice to lead them in the coming years.
“We have adhered to the policy of peaceful and orderly elections and we hope that our political rivals will do the same so as not to bring back the drak image of the province,” Gov. Bersamin stressed.
By Dexter A. See