MANILA - It is the city of Taguig's wish for the Cayetanos to seek local and national government positions, a lawyer representing the family said after his clients were called "garapal" or brazen.
George Garcia, legal counsel of the Cayetanos, said Thursday critics may be right in calling the family a political dynasty but the sentiment in Taguig shows they are a "good kind" of dynasty.
"Sabihin na nating dynasty, pero magandang klase sapagkat tingnan mo naman ang nagawa nila sa Taguig. Ikumpara mo na lang ang progress ng Taguig sa ibang lugar," he told ANC.
(Sure, let's say, they're a dynasty. But they're a good kind of dynasty. Just look what they did to Taguig. Compare the city's progress to other places.)
Four Cayetanos are running in the 2019 elections. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and outgoing Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano are seeking House seats in 2 separate districts in the city.
The eldest of the Cayetanos, Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano, is seeking a comeback in the Senate while their youngest, Lino, is running for mayor to replace his sister-in-law.
"Huwag naman nila ikonsider na lahat ng klase ng dynasty na porke magkakapatid, magkakapamilya ang namamahala, masama na 'yan," the family's lawyer said.
(They should not consider all dynasties bad. Just because siblings, or family members are running the government, it doesn't mean it's already bad.)
Lawyer says multiple residencies allowed by law
A lawyer representing a Taguig voter who sought to block the Cayetano couple's Congressional bid earlier called the family "garapal" or brazen for building what he calls a "super dynasty."
Atty. Emilio Marañon also called out the Cayetanos for claiming to live in 2 different residences or domiciles as a married couple to justify their 2019 bid.
Garcia said the petition against his clients is "shallow."
The lawyer explained that Cayetano's "domicile of origin" remains in the first district of Taguig even though his conjugal domicile is in the second district, the original domicile of his wife Lani.
He said the law does not require Cayetano to be in his original domicile of origin 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
"[It's] not only because we wanted to take advantage of the law, but because that is the wish of the people of Taguig," said Garcia, the decision should be left in the hands of the people in 2019.
"We should not underestimate ang kagustuhan ng tao. Ang kagustuhan ng tao, ang mga Cayetano. So anong magagawa natin?" he stressed.
(We should not underestimate the wish of the people. The people want the Cayetanos. What can we do?)
He said the people who want to dethrone the Cayetanos from Taguig should just defeat them in the elections.
Political Dynasty, Halalan 2019, Taguig, Alan Peter Cayetano, Lani Cayetano, Politics, ANC Top ,ANC Exclusives