Former CamSur Gov. Villafuerte eyes Congress comeback

By TRICIA ZAFRA, GMA News

Published August 29, 2015 10:28pm

Former Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Villafuerte, who is also a former member of Congress, is preparing for a comeback in 2016.

In a chance interview with reporters during his birthday luncheon at the Bicol State College of Applied Science and Technology in Naga City on Saturday, Villafuerte said he will run for Congress again in 2016.

The 80-year old politician is confident that he can beat incumbent Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, widow of the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, if she decides to run for reelection.

Robredo won against Villafuerte's wife, Nelly, in 2013. She has reportedly been eyeing higher office, but has said that she is not interested in running for vice president despite a campaign to convince her to be Interior Secretary Mar Roxas' running mate on the Liberal Party slate.

Villafuerte, meanwhile, ran for governor but lost to his grandson, Luis "Migz" Villafuerte.

The older Villafuerte, however, believes that it was he who won the elections.

Villafuerte took advantage of the occassion to endorse Vice President Jejomar Binay who attended the celebration together with potential United Nationalist Alliance senatorial candidates, Princess Jacel Kiram, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, lawyer Harry Roque, and former Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay.

Villafuerte, a member of the Nationalist People's Coalition added that he thinks the party is not likely to endorse a presidential candidate.

"I think we are given our own respective choices to select kung sino ang gusto namin."

At an NPC event on Thursday, Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga, a party spokesman at the House of Representatives, said the party has yet to decide on who to back in 2016.

"Probably for now, it is very difficult for us to tell at this point where each member will be leaning to. A handful of senators are for Senator Grace Poe. But we cannot discount the fact that also a group is for Secretary Mar. Some are also for Vice President Binay," he explained. "After all these consultations, then we can come out with a set consensus." — JDS, GMA News

Tags: camarinessur, luisvillafuerte, lenirobredo