Rian Gabriel Fuentes

Both former and current Iloilo City mayors, Jed Mabilog and Jerry Treñas will not run for the 2025 midterm elections, as their attorney and Facebook post announced respectively. 

Photo Courtesy of Rappler/Panay News/Iloilo Today.

Political party Team GUGMA’s legal counsel Atty. Eduardo Reyes III confirmed on October 8 that Mabilog will not file his Certificate of Candidacy (COC). 

Meanwhile, Treñas announced on his Facebook page the complete line-up of political party Team USWAG without his name on October 7. 

According to his post, he endorses his daughter, Raisa Treñas-Chu to replace him for the mayoral seat where she will be accompanied by the incumbent Vice Mayor, Jeffrey Ganzon. 

“Mapanguna sa mayoral seat ang akon bata, si Inday Raisa Treñas-Chu. Paga-updan siya ni Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, nga magapapili sa gihapon bilang bise alkalde,” he said. 

Also, Former Iloilo City Mayor Atty. Mayor Joe III Espinosa has expressed in his Facebook page that he will not be running for public office in the midterm election. 

“I fully endorse and support the candidacy of my niece, Ms. Raisa Treñas-Chu for Mayor. Hon. Jeffrey Ganzon for Vice Mayor and the 12 candidates of team USWAG for City Councilor,” he noted. 

Incumbent Congresswoman Julienne “Jamjam” Baronda has filed her COC on October 8 for re-election, while Treñas-Chu also filed in hopes to become Iloilo City’s second female city mayor. 

To promote unity, both female politicians have signed a joint statement on October 8 that no one will run against the candidates for Congresswoman and Mayor in either political groups, Team USWAG and Team GUGMA.

After spending the last seven years of self-imposed exile in the United States, Mabilog has come back to Iloilo City to clear up his name.

 He has posted bail over graft of charge on September 10. 

According to Commision on Elections (Comelec), he is eligible to file for COC but his application will be deliberated by the Election Registration Board. The COC filing deadline was yesterday, October 8.