2 Negrenses among
36 killed in Maguindanao
BY CARLA GOMEZ

At least 36 persons, including the wife of a Maguindanao gubernatorial bet and two reporters from Negros Occidental, taken hostage by armed men believed to be followers of the Ampatuan political clan, were massacred in the village of Masalay in Datu Abdullah Sangki town in Maguindanao yesterday afternoon.

Among those killed was Bart Maravilla, 48, of Bombo Radyo Koronadal, who is from Purok Masagana 99, Brgy. 6, Bacolod ; and Henry Araneta of DZRH Cotabato, who is from Brgy. Canmoros, Binalbagan.

Maravilla started out as a volunteer reporter for Bombo Radyo Bacolod and moved to the radio network's Koronadal station in 1998, Bombo Radyo Bacolod assistant manager Rommel Jamero said yesterday.

Sugar Regulatory Administrator Rafael “Lito” Coscolluela yesterday finally said he is definitely running for governor of Negros Occidental in 2010, and will make an official announcement later this week.

He did not say what party he will run under, although he earlier said he will run as an independent.

There are speculations that Coscolluela's campaign will be partly bankrolled by the camp of administration presidential aspirant Gilberto Teodoro to protect his votes in vote-rich Negros Occidental, since the Lakas-Kampi-CMD does not know whom United Negros Alliance gubernatorial bet Alfredo Marañon Jr. will support.

The race for mayor will be uncle versus nephew in Himamaylan City next year.

Former Assemblyman and current Undersecretary of the Office of Political Coalition Affairs, Antonio “Tony” Gatuslao, yesterday said he is running for mayor of Himamaylan, and as of now he and members of his team are independents.

“We're evaluating various options and offers,” he said.

Himamaylan Mayor Carminia Bacson yesterday said her son Councilor Agustin Ernesto “Tinto” Bascon is running for mayor in 2010 as the official candidate of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD.