Eighteen mayors of Negros Occidental met yesterday to try to find a solution that would prevent an impending showdown between Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. and Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez Jr. in the 2013 race for governor, EB Magalona Mayor David Albert Lacson said last night.

Calling for a status quo is one of the solutions they are looking at, Lacson, who is president of the Negros Association of Chief Executives, said.

Marañon and Alvarez have announced that they are each fielding full slates from congressmen down to councilors in the next election.

Many political leaders, who are members of the United Negros Alliance, were unopposed in previous elections.

But should Marañon and Alvarez split up, the majority are expected to have to battle it out in the 2013 polls.

Finding a common candidate to run for governor instead of Marañon and Alvarez was also allegedly one of the options being explored.

But Lacson did not confirm such option, saying they were still discussing various solutions.

Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) yesterday denied talk that he could be fielded as the common candidate for governor with Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (Neg. Occ., 2nd District) as his running mate.

Ferrer said he is not running for governor, he still has one more term left as congressman.

A mayor was allegedly being eyed as a possible gubernatorial option.

A meeting among the six congressmen of Negros Occidental, Marañon, Alvarez and Kabankalan Mayor Isidro Zayco with business tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco last week failed to break the impasse.

A second meeting among them this week has yet to be set, Zayco said.*CPG

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