CamSur split highlights Villafuerte father-son feud

Moves to split Camarines Sur into two provinces not only triggered a rift between two senators but also brought the feud between Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte and his son, Governor Luis Raymond “LRay” Villafuerte Jr., on national television.   The two Villafuertes were at odds over the proposed legislation, with the father pushing for Camarines Sur’s split and the son opposing it.   House Bill 4820, which seeks to divide Camarines Sur into two provinces and create the new province of Nueva Camarines, is now pending before the Senate.    In an interview over GMA News TV’s “News To Go” Friday, the elder Villafuerte called his son an “absolute embarrassment to the family and to the province” and even apologized for his son’s alleged misbehavior.   “Ang pamilya nakakahiya dahil ang anak lumalaban sa tatay. Ngayon gusto niya pa ilaban ang aking apo to the grandfather. Hindi po uubra 'yan sa kultura ng Filipino. Hindi ‘yan uubra sa ating paniniwala sa Diyos,” he said in an interview with “News To Go” anchor and GMA News Online editor-in-chief Howie Severino.   A third-term congressman, Villafuerte was referring to his grandson Julio, who is set to run against him for the province's gubernatorial post next year.   “Ang sabi ng Commandment of God, you must honor your mother and father. Ewan ko kung medyo nasisira na 'yung ulo nila pero okay lang, welcome lang ‘yan,” Rep. Villafuerte said.   He added that according to his surveys, 88 percent of his province-mates want him for governor while only 12 percent want his grandson. The son   Gov. Villafuerte, on the other hand, is planning to run for Congress against Rep. Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo, son of former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.    In a separate interview with “News To Go,” Gov. Villafuerte said standing up for principles should not be considered as an embarrassment.   The father-son rift started in 2004 when the younger Villafuerte won as governor, succeeding his father. Upon his assumption to the post, he allegedly removed his father’s appointees from the provincial capitol.   The elder Villafuerte said Camarines Sur should be divided to bring government closer to the people “in pursuance of the concept of autonomy and decentralization.”   “Masyadong malaki ang lupain ng CamSur. Wala pang public official dito sa CamSur na nakapunta sa 1,036 barangays, ako pa lamang,” he said. Motive   But Gov. Villafuerte is questioning the motive of his father and Camarines Sur Rep. Arnulfo Fuentebella for pushing for the division of the province.   “Bakit naman po ngayon lang nila ginagawa, tinutulak samantalang ngayon po ay last term na silang dalawa,” he said.   He asked why the two did not push for the same before, noting that his father was the provincial governor for 16 years.   “Bakit ang aking ama naging gobernor ng 16 years kinaya po niya hindi siya nagreklamo? Kinaya niya po noon, kinaya ko po ngayon, hindi po rason na hindi kakayanin ng future leaders na i-manage ang probinsiya,” the younger Villafuerte said. Why split CamSur?   He also said that the split would hinder the progress of Camarines Sur and would instead create two economically unviable provinces.   “From the premier province, number one sa Bicol, magiging third or fourth na lang based sa study, mismong NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) nagsabi why divide one of the fastest growing provinces,” the governor said.   He went on to describe the planned split of the province as a “waste of time, waste of energy and waste of resources,” and said he sees the move as a diversionary tactic.   “Gustong guluhin ang probinsiya dahil si Dato tatakbong congressman, lalabanan ko po siya. Gusto nilang i-distract ang tao, gusto nila ma-divert ang focus, resources sa plebiscite,” he said.   Should HB 4820 be passed into law, the new province will only be created after it gets ratified in a plebiscite.   Sen. Joker Arroyo, who opposed the bill, had earlier said carving a new province from Camarines Sur would only benefit feuding political families there.   Among the authors of the bill are Arroyo, who represents Camarines Sur’s second district, and Rolando Andaya Jr. of the first district. The two 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.   On Wednesday, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV accused Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile of being a lackey of former President Arroyo for  pushing for the passage of the bill. The senator even left the majority block, saying he has lost trust, faith and confidence in Enrile.   Enrile responded by calling Trillanes a fraud as he chided the latter’s controversial backdoor negotiations with China in connection with the territorial dispute over the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal. — KBK, GMA News