Aquino supporter likely Negros alliance bet in special poll

Bacolod City, Philippines – The mayor of Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, the first chief local executive in the province to have publicly declared his support for President Aquino in the 2010 elections, will likely be chosen by his alliance to run in a special election to fill the post vacated by the late Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo.

Sources said Malacañang is reportedly influencing the decision of the United Negros Alliance (UNA) in choosing Mayor Alejandro Mirasol as its candidate for the June 2 special poll.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., UNA chairman, is also a supporter of the Aquino administration, while third district Rep. Alfredo Benitez, an UNA member and considered the new “political kingmaker” in Negros Occidental, is the provincial chairman of the Liberal Party. 

UNA is the dominant local alliance of major political parties, and most of its members are incumbent officials of Negros Occidental. 

Marañon met with some UNA members yesterday, particularly the mayors of the fifth district, but said no consensus was reached yet on who their candidate would be.

Mirasol and another possible candidate, board member Melvin Ibañez, both attended the meeting. 

After the meeting, Marañon told reporters that UNA would convene again, this time to include all its members – mayors, congressmen, and board members – to decide on their candidate. 

He said the UNA executive committee would have the final say on the matter. 

Benitez earlier said he would respect UNA’s decision and would support its candidate.

Marañon earlier said UNA could not support the candidacy of Iggy’s sister Ma. Lourdes “Marilou” Arroyo-Lesaca because she is not a member of the alliance.

Lesaca has expressed her intention to run in the special election. While Iggy belonged to UNA, his membership could not be transferred to his sister, Marañon said. 

Other possible candidates in the special poll are Iggy’s long-time partner Grace Ibuna, board member Emilio Yulo III, and former board member Enrique Montilla. 

Ibuna though has not issued any statement on whether she is running for the post or not, but sources said she is inclined to support Mirasol.

Agreements between possible candidates have already been arranged.

For one, Mirasol and Yulo, who are relatives, have agreed that only one of them would run for the post. Yulo’s father is a cousin of Mirasol.

Montilla, for his part, said he would not run against Lesaca, her aunt (she is the cousin of his father), if she really decides to seek the congressional post.

But Lesaca has to clear the legal aspects of her possible candicacy, as she reportedly would not meet the required one-year residency as a voter in the fifth district, prior to the special election. 

Last week, Lesaca transferred her voter’s registration from Quezon City to Binalbagan, one of the towns in the fifth district. 

The Commission on Elections has set the special election in the fifth district on June 2, with a budget of P30 million.