”I will not only run, I will break the record for the 100-meter dash”.

That was the reaction of  Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr.  yesterday when asked if he will pursue his re-election bid  in 2013 following  the announcement  by Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez  that he is the gubernatorial bet of the Nationalist People’s Coalition

Alvarez, who was Marañon’s  runningmate in 2010 under the United Negros Alliance ticket, said Monday that, while he is set  to run for governor in 2013, anything can happen between now and October, when Certificates of Candidacies are to be filed.

The COMELEC has set the filing of CoCs for the May 2013 polls on October 1 to 5 this year.

Marañon said he and Alvarez are friends who are on talking terms, so a battle between them for the governorship in 2013 “will be a friendly fight”.

“We might make political history by campaigning together on the same stage,” he joked.

An NPC-UNA battle is expected unless more join the gubernatorial race of Negros Occidental next year.

Marañon remains the chairman of the UNA but appears to have been ousted as NPC provincial chairman without  being notified.

“I am supposed to be the NPC Negros chairman, Marañon  said,” but added that he does not know if the position is still his.

Kabankalan Mayor Isidro Zayco, who was the  Lakas CMD provincial chairman before he took his oath as NPC member on July 25, admitted yesterday that the NPC Negros  chairmanship was offered to him by the party’s top leaders.

“I was offered the NPC Negros chairmanship but my appointment to the post has yet to be confirmed,” he said.

 Asked if he and Marañon could still  reach an agreement to run under the same ticket in 2013 yesterday, Alvarez said  “We will see in October.

But he echoed the statement of Marañon  if they run against each other it will be a “very friendly fight.”

While Alvarez confirmed that Rep. Julio Ledesma IV (Neg.Occ., 1st District) has proposed that former San Carlos Mayor Eugenio Jose Lacson be his runningmate,  rumors are that La Carlota Mayor Juliet Marie Ferrer may run as vice governor to Marañon.

But Marañon, when asked about this, said you ask the mayor. Her husband Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer (Neg. occ., 4th District) said that is not true, his wife, as of now, plans to run for re-election as mayor of La Carlota.

Marañon told the media he will have no comment about politics until October 6 because all the talk going around are speculation and innuendos.

While the camp of Alvarez says he has 17 of the 31 mayors of Negros Occidental  supporting him, Marañon has said that more than 19 mayors  are backing him.

A source form the Marañon camp yesterday said several of the 17 mayors on the Alvarez camp’s list, in fact met with the governor  yesterday.

The source also said that  the provincial board members are split 50-50 for Alvarez and Marañon but there are two swing votes. Both camps are also said to have the support of three congressmen each.

With the apparent split of the members of the  once dominant UNA that has held control of Negros politics for more than 10 years, talk has surfaced about  the Alvarez camp preparing to field candidates against mayors who remain with Marañon, including against an influential undecided congressman, whose loyalty is being questioned.*CPG

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