Board Member Emilio “Dino” Yulo III and Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro “Bebot” Mirasol who are both likely congressional candidates of the fifth district of Negros Occidental have reached an agreement.

The Commission on Elections has announced that the special election for the congressman to replace the late Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr. is set on June 2.

Yulo, whose father is the cousin of Mirasol, said they have agreed on a process where, whoever meets a criteria they agreed on will be supported by the other in his bid for the fifth congressional seat.

The process apparently also includes inputs from their vast clan in the fifth district.

Mirasol said the process he and the board member set up involves, among others, personal considerations. He and Yulo are set to meet Wednesday on the matter.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday said the United Negros Alliance is calling a meeting of the mayors of the fifth district of Negros Occidental on Thursday to decide whom UNA will field in the special elections.

Among those UNA will choose from are Mirasol and Board Member Melvin Ibañez who are both members of the party. But the selection process will also be open to other UNA members who wish to run for the 5th congressional post, the governor added.

Yulo said he does not know if he is still considered an UNA member. In the 2010 elections he ran under the Nacionalista Party ticket for board members of the fifth district, he said.

He also said that, since his position as board member was interrupted when he assumed the vice governorship following the death of the Gov. Joseph Marañon in 2008, his current term as board member is considered the first of three allowed under the law.

Others who have expressed interest in running for the fifth congressional seat who are not UNA members are Ma. Lourdes Arroyo Lesaca, sister of Rep. Arroyo who died in London on January 26 after a long battle with cirrhosis of the liver, and former board member Enrique Montilla.

Grace Ibuna, partner of Arroyo, appears inclined to support the congressional bid of Mirasol.

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Javier Colmenares yesterday welcomed the announcement that a special election for the 5th district of Negros Occidental will be held on June 2.

“This is the first election after a decade that is no longer under the corrupt presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo”, Colmenares said in a press statement.

“We are asking the Commission on Elections for a transparent but automated election and we are urging everybody’s vigilance against the use of electoral fraud,” he said.

Colmenares said that, since the election is only district-wide involving just two or three candidates, automation will not be a major problem for COMELEC. A manual election will not only lead to possible fraud and violence, but will also be subject to tediously long protests that will delay the proclamation of the winning candidate,” he said.

“As the vice chairman of the House Suffrage Committee and a member of the Congressional Oversight Committee of the AES, I will make representation with Chairman Sixto Brillantes for the peaceful and honest conduct of the elections.” Colmenares said.

He also said he hopes that the one elected would truly serve the people and their interest.

Bayan Muna has many projects in the district and will continue providing medical, infrastructure, and educational support in the area, he added.

Bayan Muna will also ensure that bills for the benefit of the district such as a Comprehensive Plan for the district River Basin, projects in Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Moises Padilla and Isabela, and creating a state university satellite school for the district in Himamaylan will be pursued, said Colmenares, who comes from La Castellana and Hinigaran towns and graduated from a public high school in the district.*CPG

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