‘Free zone’ for LP, NPC Bacolod councilor bets

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines– The battle for councilors here is a “free zone” among candidates of the Liberal Party (LP) and the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

“It will be a free zone… that’s the setup that we will have,” Sen. Franklin Drilon, LP chairman and Team PNoy campaign manager, said when asked who they would endorse for Bacolod councilors.

Drilon made this announcement during the Team PNoy sorties in Negros Occidental last Feb. 22.

The question cropped up after Drilon, who was also here for the mass wedding last Feb. 16, endorsed the candidacies of Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia for congressman, Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson for mayor, and former councilor Greg Gasataya for vice mayor, who all belong to NPC-Grupo Progreso.

At least 12 LP candidates are running for councilors but they belong to the party of former Bacolod congressman Monico Puentevella, who is running for mayor against Sayson.

At the provincial level, the LP-NPC coalition is only endorsing Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez Jr. for governor, former San Carlos mayor Eugenio Jose Lacson for vice governor, and third district Rep. Albee Benitez, LP provincial chairman, in his re-election bid.

Councilor El Cid Familiaran, who is an LP member running for councilor with Puentevella’s group, said, “I see no problem with the endorsement since there is an alliance (among) the Liberal Party, Nacionalista Party and the NPC.” 

Aside from him, other LP members running for councilor with Puentevella’s group are incumbent Councilors Sonya Verdeflor, Archie Baribar and Elmer Sy, former councilors Jocelle Batapa-Sigue and Anna Marie Palermo, Mario Gerona, Tony Wong, Edwin Balajadia, Frank Carbon, Ray Carmona, and Andy Hagad.

But Hagad, LP-Bacolod chairman emeritus, said the LP cannot oblige them to support the local candidates endorsed by Drilon because Leonardia, Sayson, and Gasataya have their complete slate and would surely not support the local LP bets. 

Hagad said only the positions of congressman, governor and senators are covered by the LP-NPC coalition.

“I have no problem with Sen. Drilon’s endorsement of Mayor Leonardia (for congressman) because the post is included in the coalition. He is an official coalition member. But the problem is his endorsement for the mayor and vice mayor because the two posts are not included in the coalition,” he said.

“I’m not sure if Sen. Drilon was aware or was made aware of such a setting that the coalition does not apply on the mayor and vice mayor because it is considered a free zone,” Hagad said.

“We have problems with Sayson and Gasataya because they are not part of the coalition anymore,” he said.

Hagad’s group has endorsed independent congressional candidate Lyndon Caña, Leonardia’s rival.