Cracks in La Union’s Ortega clan show

NO POLITICIAN in La Union province has succeeded in toppling members of the Ortega clan from major elective positions in the province for more than 100 years.

But the 2016 elections may provide a different political stage as members of the country’s most enduring political dynasty could face each other and battle it out for control of La Union.

With three Ortega brothers completing their terms in major elective posts in 2016, the posts they would vacate are up for grabs and several members of the clan are signifying interest to vie for these seats.

Completing their last terms are Victor, the eldest and representative of the province’s first district; Manuel (known as Manoling), the governor; and Pablo, the mayor of the capital city of San Fernando.

But unlike previous elections when no Ortega ran against each other for a single political seat, the 2016 polls may see family members battling it out.

Former San Fernando City Mayor Mary Jane Ortega, wife of Victor, said they are hoping these issues would be settled before the filing of candidacies in October.

Too early

GOV. MANUEL Ortega

“But it’s too early to say if the Ortegas would clash in different posts. We still have until October to sort things out. We’re shuffling it out. We hope and pray this will be resolved,” Ortega told the Inquirer recently.

She said such problems crop up “when there are eight brothers who are in politics and the affiliation grows horizontally and vertically. There is a tendency for their children to follow in their fathers’ footsteps and want to serve.”

Members of the Ortega family have been serving La Union in various capacities since the family patriarch, Joaquin Ortega, was appointed by the Americans as the province’s first Filipino civil governor in 1901.

The children of Victor and Mary Jane are not holding any political position but Manoling’s three children occupy different posts in the province.

Who are running?

If their political plans push through, two Ortega brothers and a nephew would face off in the congressional race in the first district.

These possible candidates are Pablo, whom Victor “anointed” as his candidate; his brother Kit (Francisco), a provincial board member; and their nephew, Mannix (Emmanuel Victor), also a provincial board member and son of Manoling.

Kit represents the councilors’ league of San Fernando City while Mannix represents the Association of Barangay Councils in the provincial board.

REP. VICTOR Ortega EV ESPIRITU

“Kit came to see his Manong Victor and told him about his intention to run for Congress. But his Manong (older brother) told him he did not not know he wanted to run and that he had given his nod to Pablo. Victor did not know Kit was interested in the congressional seat because he still has one term left as board member and that he could support the next governor, whoever he would be,” Mary Jane said.

Mannix, on the other hand, has not informed his Uncle Victor about his plan, “which we learned from other people,” Mary Jane said.

Victor is planning to run as San Fernando City mayor, a post that Pablo is vacating.

“[Victor] wants to give the best of his life, his last three years in public service, back to the city. He thinks that with him there and me beside him, we would be able to do something for the city,” said Mary Jane, secretary general of City Net, a regional network of more than 130 cities and organizations specializing in sustainable urban development.

Brother vs brother?

But it may not be an easy path to City Hall for Victor because his brother, Pepe (Jose Maria), has also expressed interest in the post. Pepe lost in the 2013 vice mayoral race to Herminigildo Gualberto.

“Since Pepe lost [in 2013], we were hoping he would rest or perhaps run for a council seat. It was actually because he lost that Victor decided to run for mayor,” Mary Jane said.

If Pepe would run for mayor, it would be a three-cornered fight featuring the Ortega brothers and Gualberto.

But Mary Jane said if Pepe would slide down and run for vice mayor, Gualberto would seek reelection, leaving Victor as the only candidate for the post.

FORMER Mayor Mary Jane Ortega EV ESPIRITU

Another possibility would see Victor and Manoling switching positions.

But Mary Jane said Victor is now 81 years old and the job of governor, who would be attending to the needs of 19 towns and a city, may be too much at his age.

“He had served as governor and under him, the province won 32 national awards. But he knows the amount of work you must put in there,” she said.

Manoling may no longer seek any position but is reportedly endorsing his son, Pacoy (Francisco Emmanuel III), who is representative of the party-list group Abono in Congress, as candidate for governor.

“The problem is, Mario, the youngest brother, claimed that [Manoling] had promised him his support if he runs for the position,” said Mary Jane.

Mario served as vice president for Luzon of the national Liga ng mga Barangay.

Should they run for governor, Pacoy and Mario would face Henry Bacurnay, a former provincial board member and now undersecretary for external affairs at the Office of the Executive Secretary.

Adamor Dagang, provincial information officer, however, said there is nothing final yet in the political plans of the governor and his sons for 2016.

Not the first time

Mary Jane said this would not be the first time that the Ortegas had been rocked by rivalry for positions.

MAYOR PABLO Ortega EV ESPIRITU

In 1969, Victor planned to run for Congress after his uncle, Joaquin (Titing), then La Union representative, announced he was quitting politics. But when Victor was all set to run, Joaquin changed his mind. Victor lost to his uncle by 3,000 votes.

Victor also faced two cousins when he ran as delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention.

Mary Jane also ran against an Ortega (a second cousin) in her first attempt for the mayoral seat of San Fernando City in 1998. “But after the elections, we always kiss and make up,” she said.

Very close

The Ortega brothers, she said, are very close and have worked together. “They have met about the issue and have agreed to meet again to thresh out the [problems],” she said.

“But you know, these are not children we are dealing with. They are all [adults] with the desire to serve. Your Manong (Victor), being the eldest, can only appeal to them. But he is an optimist as far as his brothers are concerned. I hope they will listen, but only time can tell,” she said.