City politics heats up,
redistricting uncertain
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

The creation of a second congressional district for Bacolod remains uncertain, as politics in the city heats up.

While Bacolod Rep. Anthony Golez yesterday said he is very hopeful that Bacolod City will be divided into two districts, Mayor Evelio Leonardia believes it may not be approved in time, considering the short period left before the next election.

Two congressional districts would spare Golez and Leonardia from battling for one congressional seat.

Former Councilor Lyndon Caña, meanwhile, said the local Liberal Party has talked to him on the probability of him running for congressman. But it is just an initial talk and there is a process to follow, he said.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said he has requested the Department of Public Works and Highways to suspend the asphalt overlay project along Lacson Street in Bacolod City since he believes there is no apparent cause for major repairs in the area.

Leonardia said he wrote acting DPWH-Bacolod Engineer Reynaldo Venturina as a follow-up of the meeting with the DPWH engineer Arturo Badajos last week when the issue exploded.

He was informed that there is another budget to overlay portions of Lacson Street so he called Venturina and Badajos, asking if they can stop the implementation of the project and if they can sit down for a longer evaluation and discussion, he said.

Bacolod Rep. Anthony Golez yesterday admitted having marital problems and that he and his wife, former Sulu Rep. Soraya Jaafar, have not seen each other for some time.

Golez, when asked over DYRL’s Merkado Publiko about the current state of his marriage, said he and his wife have had marital problems for two years now.

Golez and his wife have not been living together since before Christmas of 2010, a source close to them said.