Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., United Negros Alliance chairman, said their local party will file a formal protest before the Commission on Elections if a national coalition uses their acronym, UNA.

Former President Joseph Estrada's Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino and Vice President Jejomar Binay's Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan have formed the United Nationalist Alliance in preparation for the fielding of their senatorial slate in next year's polls

“We will file a protest before the COMELEC, if they use the acronym UNA,” he said. “Our lawyers are already preparing it, we have been using it for 12 years already,” the governor said.

Asked for his reaction to the recent transfer of Negros Occidental Board Member Patrick Lacson and Silay Vice Mayor Mark Golez from the former ruling Lakas CMD party to the PMP, Marañon said that is democracy in action.

“That is the beauty of Philippine politics you change your party like you change your shirt everyday,” the governor said,

Former Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco said the NPC, of which he and Marañon are members, is in coalition with the Aquino administration in the House of Representatives.

“This carries some weight in local politics, this will be further discussed before next year's elections,” Cojuangco said.

Meanwhile, Marañon described the recently concluded Panaad sa Negros Festival in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, as very successful.

“The turnout of people for the festival was beyond our expectations,” he said, adding that despite the number of people, no one was reported hurt in untoward incidents.

The people who came were not just from Negros but from other parts of the country and the world, the governor said, noting that hotels in Bacolod City were almost all fully booked.*CPG

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