MANILA, Philippines – If he is again elected as mayor, Isko Moreno promised to remove Manila City Health Officer Dr. Arnold Pangan, the husband of his ally-turned-rival incumbent Mayor Honey Lacuna.
“‘Yan ang unang regalo ko sa inyo. ‘Yan ang una kong tatanggalin,” Moreno said in a caucus in Pandacan, Manila on Tuesday night, April 8. (That will be my first gift to you. He will be the first one to be removed.)
Moreno criticized Arnold for making it harder for the elderly to access healthcare, saying the online reservation system he implemented at health centers excluded those without smartphones, internet access, or digital know-how.
During his caucus, Moreno said that there were at least five members of the Lacuna family working in city hall. Three are holding elective positions and two are in administrative positions.
Honey Lacuna leads the family roster as mayor, her brother is 6th District Councilor Philip Lacuna, and her sister Leilani “Lei” Marie Lacuna is an ex-officio councilor and president of the Liga ng mga Barangay. Philip is seeking a reelection under his sister’s slate.
Aside from Arnold, Honey’s brother, Dennis Lacuna, also holds an administrative post as head of the Manila City Planning and Development Office.
Section 79 of the Local Government Code of 1991 states that no person shall be appointed in the career service of the local government if they are related within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to the appointing or recommending authority.
But while Moreno criticizes the Lacunas for dominating city hall, he appears to be building his own political foothold in Manila. Moreno’s son and actor, Joaquin Domagoso, is also running as 1st District councilor. In a 2022 interview with Rappler, Moreno said that he didn’t want members of his family to run simultaneously.
The 1987 Constitution includes a provision against political dynasties, but Congress has yet to pass an enabling law that would define and enforce this ban.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday night, Honey said that she “did not appoint any of her relatives in any position in the city government.”
“Ang lahat ng posisyon nila ay nakuha sa paraang legal at ayon sa kwalipikasyon, hindi dahil sa koneksyon sa akin,” Honey said. (All of their positions were secured by them in a legal way and based on qualifications, not because of their connection with me.)
“Hindi po negosyo sa amin ang Maynila. Serbisyong tapat at totoo ang aming layunin — hindi tulad ng iba na parang mas interesadong makinabang kaysa maglingkod,” Lacuna added. (Manila is not a business to us. Our goal is honest and genuine service—unlike others who seem more interested in gaining benefits than in serving)
Arnold and Dennis, however, have been holding administrative positions in the city hall for quite a while. They also previously worked with Moreno when he was the city mayor. Under Mayor Joseph Estrada, Dennis also served in the same post, while Arnold was the officer-in-charge of the city social welfare and development.
In his speech, Moreno also hinted at his role in the Lacunas’ political rise.
“I’m happy for them that what Boss Danny wasn’t able to achieve — with just a bit of help from us in supporting them — they as siblings were able to accomplish this,” Moreno said in a mix of English and Filipino.
The “Boss Danny” Moreno referred to was Danny Lacuna, Honey’s father and the former Manila vice mayor. Moreno credits Danny as his political mentor.
Moreno previously said that it was only “Boss Danny” who believed in him when he was still a councilor. It was also Danny who encouraged him to study. Before entering politics, Isko was an actor.
Then term-limited vice mayor Danny, in his bid for the mayoral post in 2007, picked Moreno as a running mate for vice mayor. Danny lost, Moreno won. Danny died on August 13, 2023.
In 2019, Moreno and Honey ran as a team and both won as mayor and vice mayor, respectively.
Their partnership flourished, especially at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. As vice mayor, Lacuna, a licensed physician, became Moreno’s key adviser on health matters, coordinating the city’s pandemic response.
“Not once did I feel that I was only a spare tire,” Lacuna said of Moreno in 2022. “He treated me as a sister and partner in all city government activities.”
When Moreno pursued the presidency in 2022, he handpicked Lacuna as his successor for the mayoral seat. – Rappler.com