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Last-term governor Rhodora Cadiao initially planned to retire, but says she has to challenge the reelectionist congressman’s divisive rule
ILOILO CITY, Philippines – They ran on the same ticket in 2022, but, next year, former political allies Antique Representative Agapito Antonio “AA” Legarda and Governor Rhodora Cadiao will be facing off in the congressional election.
Legarda filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for the 2025 elections on Tuesday, October 1, the first to file in Antique, according to the local Commission on Elections office.
In his reelection bid, the congressman goes by the campaign slogan “Serbisyo Diretso sa Tawo” (People-Centered Service), and vows to continue the projects he initiated during his first term.
Legarda also vowed to boost Antique’s disaster response measures, citing the recent typhoons that wreaked havoc on the local economy.
“We will build more evacuation centers and improve the drainage and flood control projects. That is being done and we will continue it in the next years,” he said in a press conference after filing his COC.
Senator Loren Legarda, AA’s elder sister who accompanied her on Tuesday, said AA would bring “harmony” and “unity” to the province.
“With Cong. AA’s leadership, we will build on the significant strides we have already made. I have full confidence in his ability to lead with compassion, integrity, accountability, and urgency, ensuring that the needs of our kasimanwa (fellow citizens) are met efficiently and effectively,” she said.
The senator served one term as the representative of Antique from 2019 to 2022 before her brother took over her post.
The governor as challenger
Meanwhile, last-term governor Cadiao confirmed to Rappler that she would file her COC on Monday, October 7, although she had announced her plans to run for Congress in September.
Initially planning to retire, the governor said she decided to run for the province’s lone congressional district to put an end to what she described as Legarda’s authoritarian leadership.
“Legarda’s leadership is narcissistic and the style is really that of a dictatorship,” she claimed.
The governor accused Legarda of polarizing Antique, alleging that the latter had used his financial resources to buy political support and intimidate officials.
“Instead of uniting the people of Antique, we are constantly in conflict because he is buying everyone with his money. Legarda’s style is ‘you follow me’ and ‘I will dictate,’” she claimed.
Cadiao also expressed disappointment in Legarda, saying he had not delivered on the progress she expected when she supported him in 2022.
“I thought when I supported him he would bring progress to the lives of the Antiqueños, but I see that they (Legardas) have only polarized Antique. They only have selfish interests,” she stressed.
The governor also accused Legarda of threatening local officials with administrative or criminal charges if they did not submit to him.
“We want to live freely, to be able to say what we want to say and do what we want to do. It shouldn’t be that if you want something, you’re given money, and if you don’t accept the money, cases will be filed against you,” she said.
Cadiao believes that she will have a “tough fight” against Legarda due to his well-funded political machinery, but is confident in her chances as the latter lacks a solid home base.
She also stressed that AA Legarda “cannot stand on his own” and is merely just “a puppet” of his elder sister. – Rappler.com
Rjay Castor is a community journalist and a reporter for the Iloilo-based newspaper Daily Guardian. He is also an Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow at Rappler for 2024.
