• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Four reelectionist mayors and three other mayoral bets as well as five reelectionist vice mayors and three vice mayoral candidates in Negros Occidental are running unopposed in the 2025 midterm elections.
They need only one vote to win, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Data of the Comelec showed the unopposed are reelectionists are San Carlos City Mayor Renato Gustilo, Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr., Pontevedra Mayor Jose Maria Alonso, and Ilog Mayor Paul Alvarez.
Others are Richard Jaojoco of Toboso, Leo Rafael Cueva of Sagay City and Abelardo Bantug III of Victorias City.
For vice mayor, without opponents are reelectionists Florendo Dinapo of Calatrava, Maria Luisa dela Cruz of Toboso, Christopher Carmona of San Carlos City, Oscar Montilla of Sipalay City, and Vice Mayor Anthony Gerard Suatengco of Pulupandan.
Joining them are vice mayoral bets John Vincent Escalante of Cadiz City, John Paulo Alvarez of Ilog and Jugin Jewel Bandolon of Don Salvador Benedicto.
Among the seven legislative districts in Negros Occidental, only reelectionist Second District Rep. Alfredo Marañon III is unopposed while the unopposed board members are Laurence Marxlen dela Cruz and Araceli Somosa of the First District as well as Sixto Pal Guanzon and Arthur Christopher Marañon of the Second District.
Comelec records further showed that Kabankalan City has the most number of mayoral candidates, including incumbent Mayor Benjie Miranda, Isidro Zayco, Genaro Alvarez Jr., John Cordero, Eliezer Duron Jr., Florelyn Mungaray and Leo Ocquias. | GB
