Candidates of the Nationalist Peoples Coalition-Grupo Progreso and the MKK Partido Bacolod filed their certificates of candidacy yesterday at the Bacolod Commission on Elections Office escorted by thousands of their supporters.

The MKK Partido Bacolod team led by Mayor Monico Puentevella filed their COCs in the morning after a mass at the San Sebastian Cathedral, while the NPC-Grupo Progreso led by Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia filed theirs in the afternoon, also after a mass at 2 p.m.

Both Puentevella and Leonardia will be running against each other for the mayoralty seat for the second time. Leonardia defeated Puentevella in the 2010 elections.

Leonardia and his party mates, who were in red shirts, locked arms as they marched towards the Comelec Office, while Puentevella and his partymates, who are running under the National Unity Party, marched towards the BAYS Center before they proceeded to the Comelec to file their COCs.

Puentevella introduced the members of his team, who were all wearing yellow shirts, inside a boxing ring at the BAYS Center that was covered by a blue tarpaulin and decorated with balloons of yellow and blue.

The MKK Partido Bacolod team includes former vice mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson who is running for congressman, businessman Vladimir Gonzalez, who is running for vice mayor, and incumbent Councilors Ana Marie Palermo, Sonya Verdelfor, Wilson Gamboa Jr., Alex Paglumotan and Claudio Puentevella, who are seeking re-election, former councilors Catalino Alisbo and Homer Bais, Lorney Lizander Dilag, Dr. Francis Balzomo, Arnel Sigue and Barangay Captain Jocelyn Uychiat of Barangay 19.

WHERE WAS BARIBAR?

Councilor Archie Baribar, who is allied with Puentevella, did not show up yesterday and is expected to file his COC today together with Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez who is allied with Leonardia. It is not yet known what positions they will be seeking.

Puentevella asked the crowd to pray for Baribar so he could finalize his decision.

Meanwhile, the NPC-Grupo Progreso is composed of Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya, who is running for congressman, Councilor El Cid Familiaran, who is running for vice mayor, and Councilors Em Ang and Caesar Distrito, who are seeking re-election, former councilor Al Victor Espino, Dindo Ramos, Elmer Sy, former Vice Mayor Renecito Novero, former Land Transportation Office-National Capital Region assistant secretary Ricardo “Cano” Tan, Cindy Rojas, George Zulueta, Bart Orola, Marlon Solidum and Israel Salanga, who are running for councilor.

Rojas is the wife of Councilor Roberto Rojas, while Orola is the brother of former Bacolod Rep. John Orola. Zulueta is a director of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, while Solidum is a broadcaster and Salanga is a youth leader.

Novero, Familiaran and Sy ran under the Magnificent Seven group in the 2013 elections, together with Verdeflor, and Baribar.

While Sayson, Bais and Paglumotan, who ran under the NPC-Grupo Progreso in 2013, have been reunited with Puentevella, as they were his former allies before they joined the group of Leonardia. They claimed that one of the reasons the reconciled with Puentevella is because he is “a good leader.”

TOPNOTCHERS

Leonardia called his slate the “powerhouse team,” citing that four of them - Gasataya, Familiaran, Novero, and himself—were No. 1 councilors for two terms. While he went on to become vice-mayor after his one term as councilor, the three also topped their re-election.

When asked how he would call his team, Puentevella said “We only want the People's House (government center) and the Congressional House.” He said he wants to continue serving because he has several projects to finish.”

Both camps appealed to their supporters to vote for their party mates particularly for the positions of congressman, mayor, and vice mayor so there will be harmony in governance.

They also continued to exchange barbs after the filing of COCs with the camp of Puentevella training their cannons on Leonardia.

Leonardia said he had no plans earlier to run for mayor in the 2016 elections but he just responded to the clamor of the people who want him to return to the City Hall.

He again quoted Mahatma Gandhi, who said: "There go my people, I must follow them, for I am their leader."

?Leonardia also declared that "Bacolod is worth fighting for! and from what we saw in the crowds with us today, I can tell them again "Para sa ‘yo ang laban na to!"

On the other hand, Gasataya, who will be running against Sayson, his former partymate, said “I wish him well. This is a democratic process. What is important is our objective which is to ensure a harmonious working relationship between the city and Congress.”*CGS

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