• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has declared that he and Lone District Rep. Greg Gasataya would not run against each other amid speculations that the latter is eyeing the mayoral post in the 2025 mid-term elections.
Gasataya’s third and final term as congressman is set to end in 2025.
“There is no way that Congressman Greg and I will be at the opposing ends,” Benitez said during his birthday celebration organized by the department heads at the Bacolod City Government Center Tuesday night.
Gasataya, who hosted a Christmas party for the local media on the same night, also doused talks of brewing political rift between him and Benitez.
“There is no rift,” the solon said, adding that he talks regularly with the mayor.
Speculations came after Gasataya could not be found on stage when political leaders took the Asenso Bacolod pledge and signed a covenant of unity and change led by Benitez on Dec. 18 at the Paglaum Sports Complex.
The mayor said he and Gasataya had a snack together before the event and the congressman even sat in front when he spoke.
Gasataya said that some people are trying to drive a wedge between him and the mayor.
The lawmaker clarified that he left the activity, after the mayor spoke, to attend to other important matters.
Aside from Gasataya, the pre-birthday celebration of Benitez was also attended by his son, Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez and other members of his family, as well provincial government officials led by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson. | GB
