Uncle-nephew clash in Negros special poll

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – It’s an uncle-nephew showdown in the June 2 special election in the fifth district of Negros Occidental, with Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol pitted against his nephew, Board Member Emilio Yulo III.

“May the best man win,” was Mirasol’s message to Yulo.

The special election will seek the replacement of the late congressman Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo who died last January in London after a long battle with a liver ailment.

Yulo was the first to file his certificate of candidacy at the Commission on Elections’ provincial office here last Wednesday, the last day of filing of CoCs for the special poll.

Yulo was accompanied by his wife, Rosalie; his father Emilio, who was former mayor of Isabela town and fifth district board member; his mother Linda, and his six children.

Yulo was also accompanied by Himamaylan City Mayor Agustin Ernesto Bascon, whose wife is his cousin.

Bascon, although a member of the United Negros Alliance (UNA) that endorsed Mirasol, has pledged his support for Yulo, saying family is more important than politics.

Mirasol filed his CoC later that day, accompanied by his wife, Mary Ann; Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., who is the chairman of UNA; Board Member Melvin Ibanez, who earlier had planned to run for the post but backed out; and four of the five mayors of the fifth district.

The four mayors were Hinigaran’s Hermilo Aguilar, Moises Padilla’s Francisco Nazareno, Isabela’s Francis Malabor, and La Castellana’s Alberto Nicor, all UNA members.

Mirasol was also accompanied by at least 80 supporters, mostly village chiefs in the fifth district.

Mirasol was endorsed by the Liberal Party, as he was the first Negros Occidental mayor to have declared his support to President Aquino in the 2010 elections.

Maranon said he is “101 percent” confident that Mirasol will win the special poll, adding that he expects him to have a 5,000-lead over Yulo.