Former Victorias City Mayor Francis Frederick “Wantan” Palanca is 99 percent sure to run for governor of Negros Occidental in the 2025 polls under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) ticket, a party official said on Wednesday morning, Sept. 25.
Jayvee Hinlo, PDP Laban Deputy Secretary General for Visayas and its Provincial Council President for Negros Occidental, said they were set to hold a meeting Wednesday night where Palanca was expected to inform them of his decision.
“The 1 percent will be answered by Palanca when he says in public that he will run,” Hinlo said.
He said Palanca may run without a vice gubernatorial bet.
They will ally themselves with those who will not support Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Hinlo said.
Lacson, who is running for reelection under the Nationalist People’s Coalition, has the support of the Love Negros-United Negros Alliance coalition.
PDP-Laban, which is the party of former president Rodrigo Duterte, may not field any candidates in Bacolod City, Hinlo said.*