Party-less Albee

I have to salute Rep. Albee Benitez for his decision to file his reelection bid as an independent amidst the purported rift between him and the LP leadership.

Prior to the filing of COCs, Albee has maintained that he has not relinquished his membership from the LP and was still provincial party chair pending decision from the higher ups. However, when the authority to endorse LP candidates in the province was given to former Gov. Lito Coscolluela, it was a big blow to his position as party chair in Negros Occidental.

Nevertheless, Albee took it with grace and continued to endorse LP candidates in his district, the turf that was left to his care, but went on to personally file as an independent – returning the message that he will not push where he is not wanted.

Of course, things can still be settled within the week if Albee and LP presidentiable, Mar Roxas can agree on certain matters and besides, some original LP members are still rooting for Albee to remain as provincial chair.

However, let us analyze where things went wrong. Albee cannot also fault the LP leadership for bypassing him since he has shown various signals that he cannot be trusted to remain a party loyalist.

We all know it stemmed from the fact that Mar Roxas has chosen to let Gov. Freddie Marañon and his team spearhead his campaign in Negros despite not being a member of LP.

I don't think Mar's intention was to sideline Albee but merely confident that the governor and his allies can help him more as they had been visible in endorsing his candidacy than Albee had.

And perhaps, there too is the fact that prior to the recent statement from Albee and other Love Negros members that they are supporting the governor's reelection bid, there is that perceived rift between the two local parties.

In fact, the recent developments are quite interesting and we will have to watch carefully where this scenario is going, in terms of who are running unopposed in the province.

Back to the LP matter, when Roxas was proclaimed, Albee was missing. When the gathering of friends happened, Albee was also absent and those who were there was the governor and his allies, including Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer who is not even LP but NUP.

There was no turning back at this point when Albee's stable of politicians from Negros attended one gathering of Sen. Grace Poe and if we recall, although they said they were going there as observers, BM Patrick Lacson was quoted as saying he was convinced after that visit that Poe might be his presidentiable.

Now, although they may deny this vehemently, it is pretty obvious that Albee's ‘boys' will never utter those words if they were not given a signal to shift allegiance.

Albee was a no-show too at LeniRobredo's proclamation in Manila and even when she came over to visit the following day.

We really do not know what exactly happened between Albee and the LP leadership but I suppose after displaying those actions, the LP just felt they could not trust Albee to deliver for them anymore.

I personally believe Albee is still an asset for LP with his resources even just in the third district and I hope they can still thresh things out if only for the good of the party.

But if you look at the lineup in the third district, only Victorias Mayor Wantan Palanca and his slate is with LP while the known Albee boys are from different parties. Silay mayoralty candidate of LP is Marissa Montelibano but she is Unega and while Talisay bet Shiela Saratan is also LP, it is unclear whether she is Unega or with Benitez.

So much can still happen between now and mid-December when substitution of candidates can still be allowed. Again, we just have to keep our eyes and ears open because it seems something fishy is already being cooked.*

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