Carla P. Gomez

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer and congressional candidates Gerardo Valmayor, Juliet Marie Ferrer, Ma. Lourdes Arroyo and Mercedes Alvarez (l-r) file their certificates of candidacy Friday, October 1.*Carla Gomez photosFifteen provincial and congressional candidates running under the Love Negros-United Negros Alliance (UNegA) coalition filed their certificates of candidacy before the Commission on Elections at the Social Hall of the Capitol in Bacolod City on Friday, October 1.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer of the National Unity Party (NUP)/ UNegA led the candidates who filed COCs for reelection.Lacson said a vote of approval will only encourage the Love Negros-UNegA coalition officia...

Richard Malihan photoNegros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer appeared to be sending mixed signals on the Love Negros-United Negros Alliance (UNegA) stand on areas where no local coalitions had been reached.Lacson and Ferrer on Thursday, October 1, admitted that their unity ticket in some parts of Negros Occidental, especially in the 5th District, failed to get candidates to agree to local coalitions.“So we will allow them to go on with their desire to run for their respective position with the promise that whoever comes out the winner will be respected and we will continue to work with them,” Lacson said.Most likely, although it is not yet final, he and Ferrer will stay neutral in areas where there is a political battle, he said.B...

A 57-year-old seaman was the first and lone aspirant who filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) before the Bacolod Commission on Elections on Friday, October 1, City Election Officer Kathrina Trinio Caña said.Allan Arroyo, 57, a retired seaman from Barangay Sum-ag filed his COC to run for councilor of Bacolod in the 2022 polls.Arroyo said he wants to brighten the streets of Bacolod.Caña is urging candidates to file their COCs early and avoid waiting for the last minute.The filing of COCs will end on October 8.*

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia has ordered the extension of the General Community Quarantine with Heightened Restrictions (GCQ-HR) in Bacolod City until October 31 in compliance with the decision of the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.The Department of Health has classified Bacolod City as a high risk area for COVID-19 under Alert Level 4. The city has been under GCQ-HR since July 16.Bacolod City had 2,127 active COVID-19 cases on Friday, October 1.Under EO 47 Series of 2021 issued September 30 Church and religious gatherings will remain limited to a maximum of 10 percent of venue capacity.Daily curfew hours will continue to be observed from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., and the sale of liquor will be allowed only from 12 p.m. to 6 p...

Javier Miguel “Javi” Lopez Benitez filed his certificate of candidacy for mayor of Victorias City along with his team Friday, October 1.Running for vice mayor of Victorias along with Benitez is Incumbent Councilor Abelardo “Junb” Bantug III, who also filed his COC.Seven of the incumbent councilors seeking re-election under the Benitez ticket are Virgie Adorio, Audie Malaga, Hermie Millan, Derek Palanca, Dexter Senido, Nity Sta. Ana, and Daylen Tornea.The line-up also includes former city administrator Dino Acuña, Nonoy de Asis - former chief of staff of Mayor Francis Palanca, and Barangay 15-A punong barangay Ulysis Tumimbang.Benitez said for the first time in Victorias, the identification of the final composition of the line-up was determined through a party convention par...

Four Negros Occidental congressional bets, who filed their certificates of candidacies (COC) Friday, October 1, outlined the priorities for their districts that ranged from health to infrastructure projects.Former Deputy House Speaker Mercedes Alvarez, who is running for congresswoman of the sixth district, said her priorities will be education, women empowerment, livelihood and infrastructure.Alvarez said she will also push for the creation of breast milk banks for babies whose mothers are unable to produce adequate milk.She was accompanied by her husband, Dranreb Lansang, and her father Rep. Genaro Alvarez Jr. (Negros Occidental, 6th District) in the filing of her COC.She said her brothers Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez and Vice Mayor Genaro Rafael Alvarez are also seeking ...

CLASH. An alleged ranking female official of the New People’s Army and three of her companions were killed in an encounter with the state troopers at Hacienda Builder, Brgy. San Pablo, Manapla, Negros Occidental, early Friday, September 30.*303rd IB photoAn alleged ranking female official of the New People’s Army and three of her comrades were killed in an encounter with government forces at Hacienda Builder, Brgy. San Pablo, Manapla, Negros Occidental before dawn Thursday, September 30, Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, 79th Infantry Battalion commander, said.Killed were Marilyn Badayos, alias Monet, finance officer and former secretary of the Southeast Front; Ronilo Desabille, alias Wowie, propaganda and education officer; Rudy Carbajosa, alias Brod, finance logistics officer; and Rufino B...

Elections Officer Kathrina Trinio Caña debunked claims that the bulk of those registering to vote before the Bacolod Commission on Elections at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum are transferee voters from towns and cities of Negros Occidental.Caña, in a virtual press conference Thursday, September 30, also said COVID-19 health protocols, including social distancing, are being observed inside the USLS premises in response to the Bacolod Emergency Operations Center claim that their voter registration is a super spreader for COVID-19.That is why the COMELEC sought the help of the police, Task Force Disiplina and the City Legal Office in controlling the crowds outside the USLS premises, Caña pointed out.Caña said after the COMELEC gives queue numbers to 500 people for the day...

Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya announced Thursday, September 30, that he is seeking reelection under the Nationalist People’s Coalition and will stay neutral on the mayoral race of the city.Gasataya has been a member of the Grupo Progreso of Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who is being challenged by former Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez in the 2022 polls.“I am not taking sides. I will run as neutral. Mayor Bing Leonardia and Former Congressman Albee Benitez are my ‘maninoys’ during my wedding. Both are significant to my personal and political journey,” said Gasataya at a press conference yesterday.He said the decision was difficult to make “but it was made with the most important and sacred consideration in mind: the lives of the people of Bacolod City”.“My decision is ultimatel...

Ian Lee Ananoria assumed the post of acting provincial election supervisor of Negros Occidental Thursday, a day before the start of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) on Friday, October 1.Ananoria, Antique provincial election officer, took over from Ma. Fatima Aspan who returned to her post as election officer of Victorias City.He was assigned to Negros Occidental because the COMELEC in the province lacks lawyers, Ananoria said.Bacolod Elections Officer Kathrina Trinio Caña, who joined Ananoria in a virtual press conference Thursday afternoon, said they expect more reshuffling of election officers before the 2022 polls.Ananoria and Caña called on candidates to file their COCs early, and avoid waiting until the last minute.Some candidates delay their filing f...