Lawmaker’s wife to run vs husband’s alleged mistress

CABADBARAN CITY, Philippines  — The wife of Rep. Erlpe John Amante (2nd District, Agusan del Norte) yesterday confirmed her plan to run for mayor here in May 2016.

She will be part of what appears to be a three-cornered fight among her, her husband’s alleged mistress and provincial board member Rey Jamboy.

Judy Chin-Amante declared during a press conference that she would run with or without the support of her sister-in-law Gov. Maria Angelica Amante-Matba, who is also at odds with the lawmaker.

“But I am hoping Governor Angel will support me in 2016. My children want me to do this, to do something right for the people. My late parents-in-law served Cabadbaran well. If only they were alive today, I know deep in their hearts they won’t allow these things to happen to us,” Judy said.

Her brand of politics, she added, will center on morality, good governance, women and children’s rights.

Mayor Dale Corvera said it was a pity that Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte’s capital city, has been subjected to an overblown family problem that makes its residents mere shock absorbers to varied rumors and insinuations.

“I don’t like the idea of dragging the entire city into the infighting between the legal wife and illegal wife because they can resolve that in court or in private. They have only divided the barangay and city officials and the constituents too early,” Corvera added. 

During the press conference, Judy said her husband has been going around the city barangays with Katrina Mortola, whom he allegedly introduced as his “soulmate.”

Neither Rep. Amante nor Mortola, who also belongs to an influential political clan, could be reached for comment.

Judy, who has three children with the lawmaker, said she also filed a suit in a Manila-based court for financial support.

“My husband has been going around the (city’s) barangays for months now with his mistress for political consultations. He had been planning this early to push his mistress to run for mayor in Cabadbaran,” she added.

Pastor Cyrus Olaer, president of the Coalition of Evangelical Churches of Cabadbaran City, said the group would provide “spiritual guidelines” for their members so they will vote based on issues and not personalities in the May 2016 elections.

He admitted though that the moral and righteousness advocacy may be difficult to push, citing “money politics” as having weighed heavily on voter preference in previous elections.

“But look at the end results of this dirty money politics in our society now – immorality, proliferation of illegal drugs, broken families. This social disorder is threatening the very existence and foundation of the church. We have to do something,” he added.

He said 27 of 31 city barangays are allied with Rep. Amante while four are with the governor.

Family law expert Mark Kristopher Tolentino earlier said the rift between Gov. Amante and the lawmaker is “irreconcilable” and described the mayoral race as somewhat reduced to a “beauty contest.”