Ramos endorses Treñas, Defensor, Banias
Former President Fidel Ramos has endorsed two mayors and one congressman in next year's election in his recent visit to Iloilo City. Ramos is the chairman Emeritus of the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP-Kampi political party.
This early Ramos expressed his support to Mayor Jerry Treñas, Mayor Raul Banias and 3rd District Representative Arthur Defensor. The three are members of the Lakas-NUCD.
Ramos made the endorsement at the Air Transportation Office conference room before he left for Manila via a commercial flight last Friday. He was in Iloilo last week to attend several gatherings including the opening of a golf tournament in Sta. Barbara.
Treñas and Defensor are running for reelection in their respective positions while Banias who is having his last term as mayor has not yet made public his political plans for next year.
On his part, Defensor was thankful for Ramos' support for him. He said the former president had been supporting him ever since. He said it was even the former president who encouraged him to conceptualize the Iloilo airport of international standard in Sta. Barbara-Cabatuan when he still governor of the province.
Talks are rife that lawyer Zafiro "Boy" Lauron would challenge Defensor's bid for reelection as congressman of the third district of Iloilo next year.
There are talks, on the other hand, that Banias would run either for board member or congressman of the fifth district.