No deal yet on Bacolod VM bet

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia has stymied what had been earlier reported as brewing unrest among three members of the Grupo Progreso over the choice of vice mayoralty bet of Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, the acknowledged mayoralty candidate of the city’s ruling party.

Leonardia squelched speculations of a revolt by three city councilors of his ruling party who reportedly boycotted his birthday party recently at the New Government Center.

The trio is composed of councilors Dindo Ramos, Al Victor Espino and Homer Bais. Sayson said he had talked to the three councilors regarding the question of who will be his vice mayoralty running-mate. But it seems that they have not yet made their choice.

The three dads are three-term members and cannot run for councilor. Thus, Al Victor Espino had earlier intimated that he is interested to run as vice mayor of Sayson. Homer Bais was reported as eyeing the congressional seat of Bacolod which Leonardia is coveting himself.

Former Vice Mayor Renecito Novero has reportedly indicated that he is running for the same position under the Sayson banner.

But the three councilors are against the idea and threatened to bolt the major party.

But the Novero intent reportedly has the blessings of BREDCO chairman Simplicio Palanca, especially in the face of the city councilors’ attempt to take over control of the privately owned BREDCO port.

Novero had always been the lawyer of BREDCO and has consistently opposed plans of the city to rein in the privately invested project which has transformed the city to what it is today.

Without a centavo from the local government units, BREDCO has transformed the former foreshore area of Bacolod into a beehive of business and commerce.

It’s not only the SM mall that is the crowning glory of Bredco, there are now dozens of warehouses and buildings in the area that contribute hundreds of thousands of pesos in income to the city coffers.

The Pope John II monument there now has become a favorite destination of supporters of the late Supreme Pontiff. That also has become a favorite destination of tourists to the city.

But Novero’s plans to affiliate with the “Sayson” group may still be stymied by the opposition from the three councilors.

In short, we can only watch for further development in the political field in the city.

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The Bukas Kotse gangs are still operating in the city, as evidenced by the break-in of the car of a policeman parked in front of the Las Rocas Hotel in downtown Bacolod.

The Mitsubishi Mirage of Senior Police Officer 2 Arnel Villanueva of Sta. Fe, Brgy. Granada, had its window broken in front of the hotel along Gatuslao street, just in front of the La Consolacion College, reports said.

Vicente Genova, 43, of Kabankalan City, also reported that his Pajero was also burglarized Saturday at Burgos-San Juan Street, just in front of Station 1 of Bacolod Police.

Genova said the thieves took his .40 caliber Walther pistol containing eight bullets and a .40 caliber Taurus pistol owned by a friend valued at P40,000.

For some time now, Bacolod Police Chief Ricardo de la Paz has alerted the Bacolod police to the activities here of car thieves. Bukas Kotse robbers usually break windows of cars and other vehicles then grab their contents and walk away, apparently unnoticed by their victims.

Recently, reports also said, De la Paz said Ian Agravante, 30, of Brgy. Concepcion, Talisay City, was arrested by Station 1 policemen for alleged illegal possession of firearms in Purok Cagaycay, Brgy. 2.

Police seized 27, .40 caliber pistol bullets from Agravante, a magazine of a .40 caliber pistol, 12 gauge shotgun ammo, a sulpak and four bullets of a .357 caliber revolver, the reports said.

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Dr. Violeta Gonzaga, SEACREST Foundation head, will launch her book “Away sa Sakit.”

The work in Hiligaynon will be launched at 3 p.m. at the New Government Center Grand Lobby.

The opus, actually written in colloquial Hiligaynon, shows the natural healing properties of herbal medicine and popularized by Naturopathy practitioners.

Dr. Gonzaga is dedicating to my late wife, Dr. Fe Lourdes L. Espina, who she considers as a model physician who devoted her talents to the poor as head of the Corazon Montelibano Memorial Hospital.

She also dedicates her magnum opus to Josephine “Pinky” Cabalfin, a cancer victim who kept faith with the Lord until the last.

More important, she devotes her book to her parents, Dominador Gomez-Lopez and Julian Pacual Borromeo, to keep their memory of dedicated parents.

That’s the date – 3 p.m., tomorrow at the New Government Center lobby, the launching of Dr. Gonzaga’s book “Away sa Sakit.”*

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