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Bacolod City, Philippines Thursday, October 4, 2012
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It’s Marañon-Ibañez
UNA ‘Braveheart’ team unbeatable – guv
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday filed his certificate of candidacy for reelection with Board Member Melvin Ibañez as his running mate, and introduced the United Negros Alliance candidates for the province.

Juliet Marie Ferrer, whom Marañon earlier invited to run for vice governor, has opted to seek reelection as mayor of La Carlota City.

But Ferrer said she and her husband, Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District), will support Marañon’s team.

The governor is being challenged by Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr. of the Nationalist People’s Coalition for the governorship.

Her presence at the filing of CoC by the governor at the provincial COMELEC office in Bacolod and press conference yesterday was proof of her support, along with her husband, Ferrer said.

Former governor Rafael Coscolluela and former Murcia Mayor Esteban Coscolluela were also on the UNA shortlist for vice governor. However, the former governor refused, saying he had recently accepted the national presidency of the Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations that will take up his time, Esteban Coscolluela said.

The former mayor also said he has opted to make a comeback in Murcia.

Ibañez, who was also on the UNA shortlist for vice governor, said he accepted the challenge because the governor is a man who has vision, dynamism and leadership.

He said people are aware of what Marañon has achieved for the province and sympathize with what has been done to him by his former allies.

The money of their opponents cannot overcome sympathy votes, Ibañez said.

At the press conference after filing his CoC, Marañon announced UNA’s candidates for the 2013 polls.

FIRST DISTRICT

For the first district, Board Member Nehemias de la Cruz filed his CoC for congressman, with Clodualdo Dedicatoria and Jose Maria Valmayor as board members before the provincial COMELEC yesterday.

Dela Cruz said he was running for congressman of the first district so its people will have a real representative who shows up for work.

“The people of the first district are shouting for change and Nene de la Cruz will be present,” he said, in an apparent reference to Rep. Julio Ledesma’s reputation for being among the top absentee solons in the House of Representatives.

Marañon said they are not fielding a mayor in San Carlos City because incumbent Gerardo Valmayor Jr. is a friend, but they will field a vice mayor and a complete slate of councilors.

In Toboso, Mayor Evello Valencia is running for vice mayor with Richard Jaojoco for mayor. In Calatrava, former mayor and board member Fernando Leonor is running for mayor with Nicolas Camara as vice mayor, and in Escalante, former mayor Santiago Barcelona is running for mayor with Aladino Lumayno as his running mate.

Mayor Marxlen de la Cruz and his mother, Vice Mayor Cynthia de la Cruz, are running for reelection in Don Salvador Benedicto.

SECOND DISTRICT

Sagay Mayor Leo Rafael Cueva filed his CoC for congressman of the second district yesterday, with Board Members Miller Serondo and Salvador Escalante seeking reelection.

Marañon said running for mayor of Sagay is his son, Rep. Alfredo Marañon III, Patrick Escalante for Cadiz City and Lourdes Escalante for Manapla.

THIRD DISTRICT

Former Silay Mayor Edwin Velez and Jose Maria Astorga Sr. filed their CoCs for board members of the third district yesterday.

Marañon said that, in the third district, they will back the congressional candidate who will support their team. Former Rep. Jose Carlos Lacson filed his CoC for congressman on Tuesday, but said he was not aligned with the Marañon or Alvarez teams.

Marañon said “courting” was ongoing between former Rep. Lacson and his team.

The UNA bets for the third district are: Murcia - Esteban Coscolluela for mayor with no vice mayoral bet; EB Magalona - David Lacson for mayor and Reynaldo Depasucat Jr. vice mayor; and Silay - Jose Montelibano for mayor and Mark Golez for vice mayor.

The mayoral candidates for Victorias and Talisay will be announced soon, he said.

FOURTH DISTRICT

The UNA candidate for congressman in the fourth district is Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer with Jose Benito Alonso for board member.

The candidates for mayor are Juliet Marie Ferrer for La Carlota City, Jose Maria Alonso for Pontevedra, and Mario Magno – San Enrique, while Vice Mayor Glory Gomez is running for mayor of Valladolid.

The candidates for mayors of Bago City and Pulupandan will be announced soon, Marañon said.

FIFTH DISTRICT

In the fifth district, Marañon said they will support the congressional bid of Rep. Alejandro Mirasol and will field Francis Joseph Tuvilla for board member, with a second BM bet to be named soon.

UNA will also back Francisco Nazareno for mayor of Moises Padilla, Hermilo Aguilar for Hinigaran, Alberto Nicor for La Castellana, and Manuel Aranda for Binalbagan.

He said the candidates for mayors of Isabela and Himamaylan will be named soon.

SIXTH DISTRICT

Marañon announced that the UNA candidate for congressman of the sixth district is Philip Arles.

But Arles yesterday said he was still consulting with his family before making a decision on whether to run for congressman.

“I am still waiting for a sign from God”, he said, saying justice for his father, Judge Henry Arles, who was slain in Ilog town, is his priority.

Ted del Rio filed his CoC for congressman of the sixth district under UNA yesterday.

Marañon said they are only fielding one board member in the sixth district and will not field a mayor for Kabankalan City because Mayor Isidro Zayco and Board Member Pedro Zayco are their friends.

Running for mayor of Ilog is Benigno Gequillana with Rizalino Tortosa as vice mayor, Ernesto Estrao for mayor of Hinobaan, and Ernie Magbanua for vice mayor of Cauayan.

UNA is not fielding mayoralty bets for Candoni and Cauayan but will have a full slate for Sipalay, the governor said.

Meanwhile, Victor Javellana also filed his CoC for board member of the fourth district of Negros Occidental, under the Alvarez ticket, before the provincial COMELEC yesterday.*CPG

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