Siblings on opposing sides in Agusan Norte, CDO, Davao Sur polls

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Blood must be thicker than water but trust politics to dilute that in the name of power.

Several siblings have taken opposing sides in the 2016 local elections. While some of them were not actually running for the same posts, they were engaged in proxy wars by fielding or supporting rival politicians.

Take for example the case of Agusan del Norte Rep. Erlpe Amante, who is fielding Katrina Mortola for mayor of Cabadbaran City against his former wife, Judy Amante.

Judy is being supported by Amante’s sister and Agusan del Norte Gov. Angel Amante-Matba.

Judy was expected to file her certificate of candidacy anytime while Mortola filed hers on Wednesday under the Kusog Agusanon (Kusgan) Party.

The Amante siblings will be running for re-election.

In Misamis Oriental, the brother of Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno joined Vicente Emano’s camp.

Reynaldo Moreno’s joining the Emano camp as congressional candidate for the first district of Misamis Oriental came as a surprise because his re-electionist-brother, Oscar, will be facing former Cagayan de Oro City mayor Vicente Emano.

Reynaldo, a physician, filed his COC on Monday under the Padayon Pilipino party headed by Misamis Oriental re-electionist Gov. Yevgeny Emano and will be facing re-electionist Rep. Peter Unabia, an ally of his brother.

In Davao del Sur, former vice governor Simplicio Latasa also maintained his ties with the camp of former governor Douglas Cagas, who might be facing his brother, Arsenio Latasa, in the gubernatorial race.

Latasa said he couldn’t be expected to toe the line of his younger brother, a candidate under the Nationalist People’s Coalition led by Davao del Sur Gov. Claude Bautista, because of his own political conviction.

“For me, our political rivalry is not personal. It is based on political beliefs,” Simplicio said.

He said that while he and Arsenio belonged to opposing camps, their relationship as siblings remained.

“Politics will soon be over but family ties remain all the time,” Simplicio told the Inquirer. SFM