The camps of Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia and his challenger Alfredo “Albee” Benitez are staging rallies to kick off the official local campaign period in Bacolod City, while Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer are joining opening salvos in various towns and cities.
Leonardia’s Grupo Progreso is expected to hold a caravan on Friday, March 24, and a rally on Saturday.
Benitez said his Asenso Bacolod team is holding a caravan and rally at the Paglaum Stadium on Saturday, but are still working on getting a permit.
Meanwhile, Lacson said he and Ferrer will be joining separate rallies in various towns and cities to cover more ground on a daily basis since both of them remain a tandem and will campaign for each other.
When the local campaign period starts on Friday, March 25, he will join a mass in Silay City with Mayor Mark Golez in the morning and a rally with Mayor Melecio Yap, Rep. Gerardo Valmayor and board members Romel Debulgado and Araceli Somosa in Escalante City in the afternoon.
“It is going to be an exciting 45 days, we just hope to maintain peace and order in Negros”, he said, adding that he also hopes precautions are taken against COVID-19.
It will be a challenge to the local governments, especially those identified to have possible hotly contested campaigns, to prove that they can hold elections that are fairly peaceful and honest, he said.
It is up to candidates to behave in a manner that will ensure peace and order, Lacson said.*