Bacolod City – Incumbent Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and four others are vying for the Negros Occidental gubernatorial position, while Representative Alfredo “Thirdie” Marañon III will be running unopposed in the 2nd district of the province, according to records of the Provincial Comelec office.
The four challengers of Lacson are Ferdenand Diego, Toto Librando, Paul Octaviano, and Francis Frederick “Wantan” Palanca, a former mayor of Victorias City who is running under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino.
Board Member Jose Benito Alonso, the vice gubernatorial candidate of Lacson, will be challenged by Rosemarie Dreyfus, who is affiliated with the Partido Lakas ng Masa.
Vying for the 1st district congressional post are Julio Ledesma IV and Erie Mahinay; Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez and Joel Bantigue – 3rd district; Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer and Engr. Lea Delfinado – 4th district; reelectionist Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo III and Board Member Anton Occeño – 5th district, reelectionist Rep. Mercedes Alvarez and former Hinobaan Mayor Ernesto Estrao – 6th district.
Other sure winners, by virtue of being unopposed, aside from Marañon, are board member aspirants, Don Salvador Benedicto Mayor Marxlen dela Cruz and reelectionist Board Member Araceli Somosa -1st district, reelectionist Board Member Sixto Pal Guanzon and Sagay City Councilor Atoy Marañon – 2nd district. Each district is allocated two board members.
The board member aspirants in the 3rd district are Atty. Hope Marey “Bambi” Depasucat, Talisay City Councilor Rolin Meliton, Tukoy Occida, and reelectionist Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Andrew Montelibano.
In the 4th district, the board member aspirants are Bago City Mayor Nicholas Yulo, Engr. Leo Carlo Delfinado, Paula Alonso, and Angelo Quitco, while there are six board member aspirants in the 5th district, including Rita Gatuslao, Hope Maravilla Belarga, Kareem Feria, Patrick Montilla, Jun Jun Tongson, and Hadji Trujillo, Comelec records further indicated.
Aside from reelectionist Jeffrey Tubola, the other board member aspirants in the 6th district are Ralph Alvarez, Michael Legaspi, Chad Zayco, and Raymund Decena Agbay.
The mayoral and vice mayoral candidates who filed their candidacies on the October 8 deadline, were Matthew Louis Malacon and his father, incumbent Mayor Marvin Malacon of E.B. Magalona, and Samuel Siote and Gab Villacin in Talisay City.
Isabela Mayor Irene Montilla and her son, Vice Mayor Juan Miguel Montilla, also intend to switch positions. Juan Miguel filed his COC for mayor, while his mother, Irene, filed for the vice mayor position.
Juan Miguel will be challenged by Migs Yulo, son of Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo, with former Isabela Vice Mayor JR Malabor as his running mate.
Former Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez also joined the mayoral race in Kabankalan City, filing his COC yesterday, facing former Mayor Isidro Zayco and incumbent Mayor Benjie Miranda.
Councilor Anejo Nicor filed his candidacy for mayor of La Castellana, with his sister, incumbent Mayor Alme Rhummyla Nicor Mangilimutan as his running mate.
It will be again a rematch for incumbent Mayor Jilson Tubillara and Napoleon Delfinado in San Enrique. In the 2022 elections, Tubillara defeated Delfinado by 10 votes. (Gilbert Bayoran via tvds)