Danding denies dictating
choice of Alvarez as guv
SAYS MARANON TOLD HIM
HE WAS NOT RUNNING
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco, chairman emeritus of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, yesterday denied allegations that he is acting like a dictator in Negros by choosing candidates himself and discarding the others.

“That is farthest from the truth. I have never dictated to anybody here in Negros, in fact, we have always followed the decision of the majority,” he said at a press conference at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City, where he stressed his support for the gubernatorial bid of Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr.

The formidable United Negros Alliance, the local political party he founded, that for more than 10 years has dominated Negros Occidental politics, and allowed many of its members to run unopposed has broken up.

Gubernatorial bet Genaro Alvarez Jr. of the Nationalist People’s Coalition yesterday said the gathering of the NPC Negros for the mass oathtaking of the party’s new members today will be a show of force.

Top NPC officials, led by Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco, its chairman emeritus, will be at the oathtaking at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City.

Just count the mayors who will be present, Alvarez told the media when asked if it will be a show of force.

Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco, chairman emeritus of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, yesterday said the NPC is committed to support President Benigno Aquino III until the end of his term, including his candidates in 2013.

The elusive business tycoon, who held a rare press conference in Bacolod City to clarify issues on his support for Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr. for Negros Occidental governor, over incumbent Alfredo Marañon Jr., was responding to a question of whether there will be a coalition between the NPC, Liberal Party and Nacionalista Party in 2013.

“What I am saying is we have an agreement with the President, we worked for him to get elected, there is no reason why we should not be with him until the end of his term,” he said..