Bacolod Councilor Al Victor Espino said Sunday, September 5, that he was eased out of the Grupo Progreso (GP) led by Bacolod Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia.
“I leave Grupo Progreso with a very, very heavy heart…I am in a state of depression,” Espino said at a press conference.
At a Grupo Progreso meeting on Friday afternoon, Sept. 3, “I was informed that I had lost the trust of our leader Mayor Bing and I appreciate that it came from him.”
Espino said Leonardia told him that given his closeness to former Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who will be his opponent for mayor in 2022, he has lost his trust in him.
The councilor said he will not deny that Benitez has been his friend and mentor, but politics and his affiliation to GP have nothing to do with that.
He has been a loyal member of GP and a loyal ally of Leonardia, Espino said. However, since the mayor said he had lost his trust in him he decided to leave the group, and walked out of the meeting, Espino said.
OTHERS LEAVING?
Espino said he could not comment on rumors that some GP members are questioning the loyalties of Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya and former councilor Caesar Distrito, and that they may join the camp of Benitez.
Gasataya and Distrito could not be reached for comment Sunday.
“I cannot speak on their behalf but I was singled out (at the meeting Friday) because of my closeness to congressman Albee Benitez,” Espino said.
Gasataya was not at the meeting because House Speaker Lord Velasco was in Bacolod at the time and Distrito, who teaches at the University of Saint La Salle, was administering exams, Espino said.
Espino said he will definitely campaign for the reelection bid of Gasataya.
MAY NOT RUN
Espino, who remains a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, said he is seriously considering not seeking reelection.
Benitez has not asked him to join his group for the 2022 polls; he knew he was with GP, Espino said, “and that I appreciate.”
The only thing that will motivate him to run for councilor is if Benitez tells him what his plans are for Bacolod, Espino said. “If that motivates me enough to ignite my passion to serve the people of Bacolod through the city council, we will cross that bridge when we get there,” he said.
CONTRIBUTING MEMBER
Espino said he has been a contributing member of GP and an effective councilor.
Among the ordinances he authored that were passed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod is one that granted tax relief to delinquent tax payers that generated P41 million in new funds for Bacolod City in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also approved by the SP was his ordinance for the establishment of a 25-bed primary health care facility in Bacolod that would be in effect the city’s very first hospital, he said.
However, he was asked by Leonardia to keep quiet about it. The mayor’s categorical statement was he wanted to prioritize the city coliseum, Espino added.
This year he also authored an ordinance extending the deadline of payment of all local taxes and fees, to ease the burden of Bacolod residents amid the pandemic, Espino said.
Espino said he has also spent his personal funds with the help of friends to provide food aid to frontliners and Bacolod residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
MAYOR’ SIDE
Leonardia and GP, in a statement issued Sunday, said “To set the record straight, no one in the GP moved to ease him (Espino) out.”
Among those at the meeting led by Leonardia were Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, and councilors Espino, Cindy Rojas, Renecito Novero, Simple Distrito, Carlos Jose Lopez, Archie Baribar, Israel Salanga, Dindo Ramos and Bartolome Orola Sr., the statement said.
Also in attendance were City Administrator Em Legaspi-Ang and party member Marlon Solidum.
“Our meeting centered on moving towards the finalization of the party slate and the filing of the COCs (certificates of candidacy) in October, which is fast approaching,” Leonardia said.
“Everyone was asked to speak. Those present reaffirmed their decision and commitment to run under the banner of the GP. They also reiterated their continued support to the party platform, policies and programs,” he added.
The discussions were open and the atmosphere was cordial, he said.
Espino was the last one to speak, Leonardia said, adding that “after he had given his piece, yours truly responded which started a long exchange of views and opinions”.
As there was an apparent disagreement on certain sensitive matters, that was when Espino volunteered to leave while the meeting was on-going, Leonardia said.
“The manner of his physical exit, in fact, was also cordial. There was even that friendly fist bump,” the mayor added.
Leonardia thanked Espino for his involvement all these years that he had been with GP. “The political circumstances, however, as it could happen elsewhere, may change accordingly though,” he added.
“Espino’s parting of ways with his party mates was his own voluntary act. No one had asked him to leave the GP nor was there an effort to ease him out,” Leonardia said.*