The president’s unexpected announcement of support, the recent expansion of his broadcast business now airing over 20 radio stations nationwide – the latest target was the country’s summer capital up north in Baguio -- and his winning efforts to remain politically relevant at the national level as he remains the national president of LAKAS-CMD, House Majority Leader and Congressman Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of the first district of Leyte could be hatching up another national run come next year’s elections.
Could it be as vice-president in tandem with the presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sarah Duterte?
Sarah-Martin tandem?
Incidentally, a few months ago, Congressman FM and his local camp were reportedly the initiator and sponsor in the mounting of the Run Sarah Run political billboards that were installed all over Tacloban and Leyte and in other parts of the region.
An interesting text “SaMa” in the sign printed in green and red contrasting colors, which reads “SaMa tayo sa pagbabago” just underneath the barking bold texts “RUN SARAH RUN,” could only mean one thing – Sarah and Martin tandem.
The recent pronouncement of President Duterte on national TV that he intends to support Congressman Romualdez should he run for vice-president seem likely to confirm the emerging tandem. Otherwise, the obvious political stunt could be just to test the waters.
Options Open
Interestingly, however, while Romualdez sounded rather unequivocal during an online presser that he is yet fixed at continuing his work as Congressman for the first district of Leyte at the Lower House, claiming as of the date of having yet no plans for next year elections, he issued this rather ambiguous phrase: “I am keeping my options open concerning the 2022 elections.”
According to Romualdez, the president’s warm support and words of encouragement will weigh heavily on whatever decision he will have to make this coming October.
Romualdez, however, admitted that he is working on strengthening his party’s alliance with Sarah’s Hugpong Ng Pagbabago (HNP).
“As we look towards the 2022 elections, hindi kami maghihiwalay (we will remain solid). We will strengthen our alliance and we will formalize it soon.”
Expanding Influence?
The Leyte legislator Romualdez, who owns newspaper companies, has recently been intensifying its political clench nationwide by recently expanding its business in the broadcast industry. Its radio broadcast network FMR Philippines, which bears his name FMR, but is under the business name Collective Media Group, is broadcasting now in 20 different places nationwide. According to Atty. Nick Esmale, there are now 20 FMR stations all over the country, including the recently opened FMR radio in Baguio city up north.
Romualdez lost his senatorial bid in 2016, his first unsuccessful try for a national post.
Petilla Vs Romualdez
While the Romualdezes maintain a strong political hold over the first district of Leyte, and over Tacloban city with his cousin Alfred Romualdez as the incumbent mayor, the entire Leyte political powerhouse remains indisputably under the unchallenged political reign of the Petillas through the leadership of former Energy Secretary and businessman Carlos Jericho “Icot” Petilla.
The Petillas are touted as still the strong political powerhouse while keeping extensive political affluence in the vote-rich province of Leyte in the Eastern Visayas region.
The Loreto-Petilla political family has been reigning in the province of Leyte since 1989 with the father and lawyer Leopoldo “Polding” Petilla getting the shot of governorship during that year. Since then and until now, Leyte has remained in the hands of the Petillas, with Polding’s wife Matin Petilla serving three full terms, Icot Petilla serving eight years, and now incumbent Governor Dominic Petilla serving his last term.