LEGAZPI CITY: Poverty and political family dynasties make an untenable mix in Bicol Region.

Among Bicol’s six provinces, Camarines Sur pits out the most exciting political battle in the 2013—grandfather (Luis Villafuerte Sr.) and grandson (Miguel “Migz” Villafuerte) will be squaring off for the gubernatorial post.

The old man (Luis) faces his grandson in a political battle, which completely places family values and close family ties to a litmus test.

The grandson (Migz) represents the fourth generation Villafuerte and is fielded by his father (LRay) to take over Camarines Sur’s top post should he prevail against his grandfather.

The Villafuerte clan has ruled Camarines Sur for decades—15 years under elder Luis, nine years under his son Luis Raymund “Lray.”

LRay and Luis were estranged in 2007 elections when the father-son feud spilled off into the public scene with the latter fielding a candidate against the former.

In the 2007 elections, LRay made an alliance with fourth district Rep. Arnulfo Fuentebella, an erstwhile political enemy of Luis since the Batasang Pambansa election in 1984.

The Villafuertes and Fuentebellas clashed in 2004 in the gubernatorial position—Felix William “Wimpy” Fuentebella lost to LRay.

In the 2010 presidential elections, Luis bolted Lakas-Kampi and allied with the Nationalist People’s Coalition, which made him become party-mate of Arnulfo.

Luis and Arnulfo, both last-term legislators, glued their alliance against the former’s son LRay on the issue of dividing Camarines Sur into two provinces with the creation of a new one (Nueva Camarines) comprising the fourth district of Camarines Sur.

Fielding Miguel for gubernatorial post, the feud between LRay and his father Luis has simmered and is heating up these days.

Luis was the longest-serving governor of 15 years in Camarines Sur. He was succeeded by his youngest son LRay, who is serving his last term, or nine years as governor of the biggest province of Bicol.

Nelly Favis Villafuerte, mother of governor LRay is running for a Congress seat in the third district, where her husband Luis is serving his last term as a lawmaker. LRay opted to run as a representative of the second district of Camarines Sur against their former political ally Rep. Diosdado Ignacio Arroyo, a second-term lawmaker.

Historically, the Villafuerte political clan’s roots date back to the Japanese occupation. The Villafuerte patriarch was a lawyer and an assemblyman before World War II broke out in 1941.

Based on the records In the crucible of an Asymmetrical War in Camarines Sur 1942 to 1945 by Jose Barrameda Jr. Gov. Mariano Villafuerte Sr. of Camarines Sur, the patriarch of the Villafuerte clan was killed by guerillas from Camarines Norte on May 5, 1945, including his wife Choling and eldest son Jose in Vito, Siruma, Camarines Sur, while fleeing the Tangcong Vaca Guerilla Unit who launched a siege on May 2, 1945 in Naga City.

In 1974 the patriarch’s son lawyer Luis Villafuerte broke into the national political picture when he was appointed minister of Trade and Industry during the administration of strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

In 1984, Luis bolted the Marcos administration and went back to Naga to form an opposition slate for Batasang Pambansa members for the first, second, third and fourth districts of Camarines Sur, and won all the seats.

Subsequently, after EDSA 1, he was appointed governor of Camarines Sur in 1986 until 1992, when he lost in the local elections against Jose Bulaong, who took the reins of the provincial government for a three-year term.

He made a comeback in 1995 and served as governor until 2004. Today the elder Villafuerte is pitted in a political contest against his grandson Miguel.