Escalante Mayor Melecio Yap (NPC), 50, filed his Certificate of Candidacy for congressman of the first district of Negros Occidental under the Love Negros Team at the Negros Occidental Comelec provincial office in Bacolod City yesterday.

As of yesterday Yap was unopposed, but Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., chairman of the United Negros Alliance (Unega), said the deadline for the filing of CoCs is 5 p.m. tomorrow yet.

He said Unega may still file a congressional candidate for the first district.

But Marañon and his runningmate Rep. Jeffery Ferrer ruled out fielding candidates against Rep. Alfredo Abelardo “Albee' Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3 rd District) and Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6 th District).

“Wala may ma bato kay Albee (No one will fight Albee)”, Marañon said.

Benitez who is going for reelection and former Vice Governor Emilio “Dino” Yulo who is running for congressman of the fifth district under the Love Negros Team, are set to file their CoCs today.

Alvarez filed her CoC on Monday.

Love Negros has no candidates for Congress in the second and fourth districts.

Unega bets for Congress are Rep. Leo Rafael Cueva - second district, La Carlota Mayor Juliet Marie Ferrer – 4 th district and Rep. Alejandro Mirasol – 5 th district who also filed their CoCs yesterday.

The Love Negros choice for congressman of the first district was a toss up between Yap and Board Member Renato Gustilo

Gustilo is now running for vice mayor of San Carlos City.

Yap said if elected congressman of the first district his priorities will be the conversion of local roads into national roads to ensure their improvement, and the creation of economic zones, on top of other local concerns.

Vice Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacon of Love Negros said “The choice of Mayor Beboy Yap as 1 st District congressional candidate, shows how fair Cong. Ledesma is in a allowing a non-San Carlos resident to represent the district in Congress.”

Rep. Julio Ledesma, who heads the Love Negros Team in the first district, is on his third and last term as congressman, and cannot seek reelection in the 2016 polls.*CPG

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