SORSOGON CITY—The Escudero political clan of Sorsogon province is reportedly fielding showbiz celebrity Heart Evangelista for a local post in the 2016 elections after the actress sought a transfer of her permanent residence to this city before the local office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Evangelista, whose real name before recently marrying Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero was Love Mary Ongpauco, said in her Comelec registration transfer that her new permanent and official address was the family residence of the Escuderos in Barangay Buhatan here, sources said.
The transfer came two months after she became the senator’s second wife in a wedding at Balesin resort in Quezon province last Feb. 15.
The Escuderos are seeking to maintain control of Sorsogon province after the death of the senator’s father, Salvador Escudero III, from a lingering illness on Aug. 13, 2012 while he was serving his 18th year as congressman of the first district of the province.
The late congressman has been replaced in the Lower House by his widow, Evelina Escudero, who first served as the district’s representative to the Batasang Pambansa from 1984 to 1986.
In 1987, the elder Escudero was elected congressman and served for a total of 18 years until his death at the age of 70.
Chiz Escudero was also a congressman of the same district before becoming a senator. His mother won the seat vacated by her husband in the 2013 mid-term elections.
The late congressman’s brother, Antonio “Kruni” Escudero, is incumbent
vice governor of the province; his son Krunimar Jr. is the senior member of the provincial legislative board.
Evangelista’s filing of a transfer of residence did not come as a surprise to both Escudero supporters and their political rivals.
Although the Escudero camp was yet to come out with an official statement regarding the senator’s wife’s transfer of residence, local political pundits are already talking about what elective post she will be seeking.
Efforts by the Philippines News Agency to reach for the senator for comment on the matter proved futile. His local media liaison office said Escudero will issue an official statement in due time.
An insider of the Escudero camp, who declined to be named, however, said the senator’s wife is being groomed to challenge incumbent Sorsogon City Mayor Sally Lee, the wife of Sorsogon Governor Raul Lee.
Mrs. Lee won the seat in 2013 by defeating Leovic Diodeda, a former staunch political supporter of the Escuderos who bolted the camp after failing to get support for his son’s gubernatorial campaign against Raul Lee. PNA
Governor Lee was ordered arrested in May 2013 in connection with the alleged anomalous purchase by the provincial government of electronic devices worth P22 million in 2004 and 2005 without a public bidding.
In June to September last year, Lee also served the 90-day preventive suspension on orders from the Sandiganbayan for his alleged involvement in the 2004 multimillion-peso fertilizer scam.
