Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso and vice mayor Honey Lacuna lead the flag raising ceremony at the newly cleaned park surrounding the Andres Bonifacio monument in Lawton, Manila on July 15, 2019. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — Members of local party Asenso Manileño felt “betrayed” after former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso confirmed that he would vie for the capital city’s mayoralty in the 2025 midterm elections, Manila Rep. Joel Chua said on Saturday, underscoring that this would pit two of their party’s leaders against each other.

Domagoso — who lost in the 2022 presidential elections — is reportedly seeking to reclaim his title as Manila mayor, even if this means he would run against Mayor Honey Lacuna, daughter of his political mentor former Vice Mayor Danny Lacuna.

Mayors are allowed to hold three consecutive three-year terms.

“We feel betrayed kasi all along sinabi niya sa amin na hindi siya tatakbo (he told us he would not run) ,” Chua told reporter in a news forum in Quezon City. 

“Right from the very beginning ang sinasabi niya sa amin, ‘Huwag kayong makikinig sa mga chismis-chismis. Lahat yan hindi totoo. Hindi kami maglalaban ni Ate [Honey],’” said the lawmaker, who is a long-time member of Asenso Manileño.

(He told us not to believe in rumors that he would run for mayor)

Chua said that Domagoso had repeatedly said he would stay on the sidelines or would retire from politics.

“Ang pangit at nakakahiya.”

(It doesn't look good, it's embarrassing) 

Chua said he and Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano met with Domagoso to ask about his plans for the 2025 midterm elections.

He said it would have been better if he had told Lacuna that he would seek a return to city hall if his presidential run didn't prosper, but no such agreement was ever raised or reached.

“Tingin ko talagang may plan na talaga siyang tumakbo. It just so happens na sinasabi niya yun para hindi ma-anticipate yung plan niya,” he said.

(I think he really had plans to run, it just so happened that he made that claim so nobody would anticipate his plans)

It is common for politicians to remain coy about political plans. Notably, former President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte both filed their candidacies for mayor before making a last-minute substitution to seek higher office. 

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'PUBLIC OFFICIALS SHOULD STAND BY THEIR WORDS'

Of Manila’s six district representatives, only First District Rep. Ernix Dionisio is expected to join Domagoso’s slate, while the five others would stand behind Lacuna, Chua said.

“That is a very hard decision to make… That is the right thing to do,” he said. 

“Dapat po kasi ang public official may isang salita.”

(A public official should have word of honor)

A survey by Octa Research Group showed that out of 1,200 registered voters in Manila, 75 percent said they prefer to elect Domagoso as mayor if the midterm election was held between July 6 and 10.

At least 17 percent said they would vote for Sen. Imee Marcos as Manila mayor should she run for the position, while 7 percent opted to reelect Lacuna.

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‘TOUGHEST’ POLITICAL BATTLE

Chua admitted that a face-off between Domagoso and Lacuna would be the “toughest” political battle that Asenso Manileño would encounter.

In previous elections, the local party — founded by Lacuna’s father — triumphed against former Manila Mayors Alfredo Lim, and Joseph Estrada, who is also the Philippines’ 13th president.

“Toughest because may emotion na involved dahil siyempre tinuring namin siya (Domagoso) na parang kapatid,” Chua said.

(It will be the toughest because there are emotions involved. We really treated him as a brother)

He added city elections in 2025 would likely be divisive and painful for parties. 

In July, Lacuna told ABS-CBN News that Asenso Manileño is keen on keeping her as their mayoralty candidate.

“Ako po kasi ang father ko ang nagsimula ng Asenso Manileño ((My father was a founder of Asenso Manileño),” she said, adding she had advised Domagoso to think hard about the decision to run.

With two months left before the official filing of candidacies for the 2025 midterm elections, Chua said he is still hopeful that Domagoso would “reconsider” his plan of running .

It would be better for everyone if Domagoso would run for a Senate seat instead, the Manila representative said.

“Kung mag-Senate, lahat po kami magso-solid sa kaniya kasi yun naman talaga ang dream namin na may isa kaming representative sa Senate tapos may mayor kami so kung ano man ang puwedeng maitulong na mga resources, makikinabang diyan ang mga kababayan namin sa Lungsod ng Maynila,” he said.

(If he runs for the Senate, we will be behind him because that has been the party's dream, for us to have a representative at the Senate and a mayor. So we can help him with that because the City of Manila will benefit from having him there)

ABS-CBN News has asked Domagoso and his national party Aksyon Demokratiko for comment, but they have yet to respond.

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