THE big political news in Iloilo Province following the May 12, 2025 election was not the defeat of Raul “Boboy” Tupas to the “darling of the Gen Z”, Lee Ann Debuque, in the vice gubernatorial combat.

It was the fall of Neil “Junjun” Tupas Jr. (NPC), who was bludgeoned by his own sister-in-law, Binky Tupas (Lakas) in the fifth district congressional tussle.

Losing to a brother was painful. Losing to a brother’s wife must be double the pain.

Junjun, penciled to become a senator after a scintillating performance during the Erap Estrada impeachment trial in 2007, was supposed to reclaim the post after his younger brother, Boboy, trounced him for the same position in 2019.

He suffered yet his most painful political loss at the hands of Binky.

Now that their parents—Neil Sr. and Myrna Causing Tupas—are gone, Jujun, as the eldest, was expected to carry the clan’s political flag in the future political collision vis-à-vis Iloilo’s other powerful political dynasties.

Junjun previously held the position for three terms, from 2007 to 2016. Binky, a one-term board member, sought the congressional post vacated by her term-limited husband, Boboy.

Junjun had boasted that “anyone can run and anyone can [carry] the name Tupas, but there is only one true-blooded Tupas that will run in the Congress and that is me…. We are very confident of victory in this election.”

In 2016, Junjun’s wife, Yvonne Angeli, also a lawyer also lost against Boboy, a PMA graduate, in the fifth district congressional race.

Binky campaigned for the continuation of Boboy’s projects, emphasizing that she will bring a God-and people-centered governance.

An architect by profession, Binky vowed to push for legislation that would maximize the tourism potential of the 5th District.

Binky was proclaimed the winning candidate by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) with majority of votes garnered from the towns of Carles, Lemery, Balasan, Estancia, Auy, Sara, Barotac Viejo, Conception, Balasan, San Dionisio, and Batad.