Benjamin, who is running under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) that is part of the administration coalition, filed his certificate of candidacy just before midnight Thursday.
Faustino Jr.’s backing out reportedly due to "health reasons" and giving way to Benjamin’s candidacy prompted other members of the coalition to question if the gentleman’s agreement among them still holds.
Political observers were bruiting about a rematch between Faustino Jr. and Gov. Grace Padaca who trounced him in the 2004 elections, until the new development.
Benjamin, a former three-term governor, filed his COC for governor as early as January, but later withdrew it in favor of Faustino Jr., his elder brother, who was declared the administration coalition’s bet for governor after much bargaining among the parties involved.
Former Justice Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Lakas-Christian, Muslim Democrats regional head, said the coalition’s regional arbitration team was holding emergency meetings to assess if the agreement among the pro-administration parties remains.
Faustino Jr., eldest son of the late Dy patriarch, Gov. Faustino Dy Sr., Isabela’s longest-serving governor, stressed though that the agreement still stands.
"There is no change in the agreement as my brother filed his candidacy under the NPC which is part of the coalition," he said.
Other Dy siblings rallied behind Faustino Jr.’s decision. "This shows that our family is still united," said third district Rep. Faustino Dy III.
However, other members of the coalition argued otherwise.
"The gentleman’s agreement was clearly only between the older Dy and me and did not involve any possibility of somebody else (running for the position)," said Tonypet Albano, of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi).
Albano, scion of the prominent Albano clan of northern Isabela, gave up his gubernatorial ambitions in favor of Faustino Jr. and was in turn appointed as deputy spokesman of the Team Unity senatorial ticket.
He said Benjamin’s entry in the gubernatorial race has definitely changed the picture.
For his part, second district Rep. Edwin Uy, provincial Lakas-CMD head and a close ally of Padaca, said the move of the Dy brothers even strengthened Padaca’s position and that more mayors are expected to support her.
"We cannot overlook the fact that Ben Dy filed his candidacy for governor last January under the UNO (United Opposition) before withdrawing it in favor of his brother," Uy said.