• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Businessman Jurry Nabaja declared on Sept. 27 that he will run against incumbent Mayor John Rey Tabujara, whose family has ruled Cauayan in Negros Occidental for more than two decades already.
Nabaja is running under the administration’s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, where Cauayan Vice Mayor Anna Liza Soriano, sister of Tabujara, is also member.
Tabujara, who was then the vice mayor, succeeded his father, Jerry, who passed away in 2016.
Nabaja debunked claims being spread in the social media that he is not a resident of Barangay Isio, stressing that he finished his elementary and secondary education in the town.
In a press briefing, Nabaja said that his supporters have been pushing him to run for mayor since 2022, but he was not ready then.
He said that he was busy with his business, stressing that he is not a politician nor any of his family members is engaged in politics.
During the barangay elections last year, Nabaja said that he was again approached by some groups in Cauayan to convince him to run for mayor in the May 2025 midterm elections.
This time, they succeeded in convincing him, he said.
Nabaja said that Cauayan has been lagging behind in terms of economic development compared to its neighboring local government units.
Nabaja said he now has a complete slate, with Councilor Vicente Perez as his runningmate for vice mayor.
Asked for his reaction, Mayor John Rey Tabujara, who confirmed his intention to seek reelection, said that anybody is free to run for any position.
“That’s their choice if they want to serve the Cauayanons,” he added.| GB
