Joker opposes division of CamSur; says split to serve political families

Sen. Joker Arroyo on Tuesday opposed House Bill 4820 which seeks to divide Camarines Sur into two provinces, and creating the new province of Nueva Camarines.

 

"This is a case of gerrymandering and the Senate has a duty to see to it or to inquire whether there is gerrymandering," he said.  

 

"[The bill will] provide feuding families in the province [with] the solution [that] instead of an election they will resolve [their feuds] by partitioning the province and assigning each other sections," he added.

 

But aside from this, Arroyo said he opposes the division of the Camarines Sur because it would reduce the province to a second class province.

 

"It is number 11 in the ranking in the Philippines.  If we divide it, it will drop to 20, 21, 22.  For someone who is a native of the province of course I'd...reject... the bill," he said. "No province in Luzon has ever been divided, this is a first," he added.

 

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV had also earlier said that there is no compelling reason to divide Camarines Sur.  He said it was an "unwise and risky move" which might set a "bad precedent" for future lawmakers.

 

HB 4820 was to be considered on the Senate floor on Tuesday after the committee on constitutional amendments, revision of codes and laws submitted its report on the measure.

 

But Senate local government committee chair Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. blocked its consideration, saying his panel was the primary committee hearing the bill.

 

"It is not a simple matter to just recommend to the floor.  We would like also make presentation of our findings," he said, adding that they will be ready with their report in six weeks.

 

Backers

 

In previous interviews, Camarines Sur Governor Luis Raymond “LRay” Villafuerte Jr. had likewise said that the attempt at manipulating the boundaries of the province was a political maneuver meant to ensure the poll victories of its backers. 

 

One of the “backers” is Gov. Villafuerte's father, Rep. Luis R. Villafuerte Sr. of Cam Sur's third district.

 

Rep. Villafuerte has said that he plans on running as governor in their province.  But if CamSur is divided, he wouldn't have to run against his son. Rep. Villafuerte is on his third term as a congressman.

 

The main proponent of the bill in the House of Representatives is Arnulfo Fuentebella of Cam Sur's fourth district. The district would be part of Nueva Camarines if HB 4820 is passed into law.

 

Also supportive of the bill are Camarines Sur representatives Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo of the second district and Rolando Andaya Jr. of the first district.

 

Both Arroyo and Andaya had benefited from the creation of an additional district in Camarines Sur in 2010 as they were supposed to run against the other in a single district.

 

Should HB 4820 be passed into law, the new province will only be created after it gets ratified in a plebiscite. — DVM, GMA News