The Liberal Party in Bacolod City may only field candidates for councilors but is now on exploratory talks with the political camp of mayoralty aspirant Monico Puentevella for a possible joining of forces, Andy Hagad said yesterday.

Hagad, who is also planning to run for councilor under the LP, said that as of now, they do not have candidates for congressman, mayor and vice mayor. He said there are about nine of them running for councilor under the LP slate, he said.

"We plan to field purely councilors only. We talked with Puentevella and we will decide as a party within one or two weeks and come up with a line up with the approval of the LP national headquarters," Hagad said.

Asked who are the LP members running for councilor who would possibly join forces with Puentevella, Hagad named businessman Frank Carbon; Councilors El Cid Familiaran, Archie Baribar, Elmer Sy, Sonya Verdeflor, and former councilors Jocelle Batapa-Sigue and Ana Marie Palermo, and that there are two more.

Hagad said that since the President is an LP, they also want councilors for Bacolod coming from the same party.

They hope they can form a group composed of very competent, professional and credible people, he said.

They are trying to gather this group to run for the city council because they believe that if the council members are strong, professional and independent, then they can check and balance each other, regardless whoever sits as mayor, Hagad said.

“I think this is a better formula than having a congressman, mayor, vice mayor down to councilor from the same party," he said.

Hagad said the coalition of the Nationalist People's Coalition, Liberal Party and Nacionalista Party will have to be dealt with when it is already observed in the local level.

“In the meantime, since we are in the Lone District of Bacolod, we are usually given the leeway on which course of action to take. We are operating on the theory that we have to present first a good proposal and have Manila approve it," he said.*CGS

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