Congresswoman-elect Mercedes Alvarez of the sixth district of Negros Occidental denied on Wednesday, May 11, that she and her father had anything to do with the defeat of Kabankalan City Mayor Pedro Zayco in Monday’s polls.
Zayco lost to Tan-awan kagawad Benjie Miranda.
Miranda won with 36,889 votes to defeat Zayco who had 36,611 votes.
There is no truth to the rumors that she or her father, Rep. Genaro Alvarez, helped Miranda win, Alvarez said.
Besides she and he father belong to the same political party as Zayco, which is the Nationalist People’s Coalition, Alvarez said.
“For the past how many elections we have been working closely and are allies of the Zayco administration,” she added.
“I really cannot explain what happened…We trust the voting process, we will respect the decision,” she said.
Filing a protest will depend on Zayco, she said.
Zayco could not be reached for comment.
Alvarez said she personally knows Miranda because during her first term as congresswoman, he was Tan-awan barangay captain and they worked together.
Meanwhile, it is not true that Zayco was hospitalized, he is continuing to work at the city hall, a post on the Kabankalan City Facebook page said Wednesday.*