The four incumbent Bacolod City councilors who were recently sworn in as members of the Liberal Party may run as independent candidates for the 2013 elections instead.

El Cid Famillaran, Archie Baribar, Elmer Sy and Sonya Verdeflor, disclosed this yesterday.

This was after the LP in Bacolod submitted the list of the candidates for councilors to be officially nominated by the party to their national office Friday and their names were not included.

LP-Bacolod District Chairman Frank Carbon said Friday that the list included his name and that of former Councilors Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, Ana Marie Palermo, Andy Hagad and Edwin Balajadia of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement-Negros, who may run on the ticket of Congressman Monico Puentevella, who is running for mayor.

Famillaran, who is seeking re-election, said that although they are planning to run as independent candidates, they are open to the possibility of being adopted by other parties, including the Nationalist People’s Coalition of Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, who are to be running for Congressman and Mayor, respectively.

Despite the non-inclusion of their names, Famillaran also said that there is no rift among the LP members in Bacolod.

Baribar, meanwhile, said his dream to run as vice mayor is still alive and that his mind hasn’t changed about that.

Baribar had earlier declined the offer of Puentevella for him to run for re-election under his group. Puentevella is reported to have chosen businessman Vladimir Gonzales as his vice mayoralty candidate.

Baribar, Sy, Familiaran, Verdeflor and Puentevella ran under the MoNoPal team in the 2010 elections.*APN

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