Lawyer Joshua Alim is not discounting the possibility of him and Plaridel Nava teaming up with Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas in the 2022 elections.
“Posible nga makaupod kami ni [Plaridel] with Jerry. But imposible nga maupod si [Plaridel] if ara si [Congresswoman Jamjam Baronda],” Alim said in an interview on IMT Conversations.
It is no secret that there is bad blood between Nava and Baronda, who defeated Alim in the 2019 congressional race.
Baronda and Treñas ran under the same ticket last year, while Alim and Nava belonged to a different group.
Last Nov. 20, Treñas confirmed to IMT NEWS, that he met with the two former city councilors, but clarified that it was Alim who requested to see him.
According to Alim, “nothing political” was raised during the “casual” meeting.
“It’s a casual meeting. I asked Jerry if I can bring [Plaridel] and he said okay. And then we talked, it’s as simple as that,” he said.
Alim shared that Treñas texted him when he was hospitalized.
“Ginkamusta ya ko. He told me to just text him if I need help and I replied, ‘Thank you for that.’ I observed nga open ang amon linya, why not talk with the mayor as a private citizen if ano mabulig ta,” he said.
“Nagapalayo ko sa politika pero indi malikawan ang mga tawo gapalapit gihapon sa akon. I was hospitalized and it’s a normal nga balatian dala sang edad. That’s the time I realized nga Indi ko pag-i-take forgranted ang akon nga health,” Alim explained.
Alim is looking forward to having another meeting with Treñas.
“I’m expecting another meeting kung ano mga development. Kung may ara, open man. Kung indi man, we can always decide for our own campaign,” he said.
“Ever since I joined politics in 1995, wala ko ya may ginasaligan nga political party or political leaders. I can run my own campaign and I can appeal to the people. Amo na ang sikreto nga makamaintain sa akon independent nga pinanindugan,” he added.
Despite the possible team-up, Alim said he would remain a vocal critic of the Treñas administration.IMT
