• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Former Silay City Mayor Mark Golez announced Wednesday, May 15, that he is resigning from the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP) Laban, as he confirmed his intention of making a comeback in politics in 2025.
Golez said that Vice Mayor Thomas Maynard Jison Ledesma and seven councilors of Silay City are PDP-Laban members.
Earlier, Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez announced that about 100 PDP members in Negros Occidental are resigning from PDP.
Benitez is the chairman of the PDP-Laban in Negros Occidental.
“Wherever the Benitezes, I will go with them,” Golez said.
During the Asenso Silay convention May 11 in Victorias City that was attended by barangay captains and kagawads, as well as party family leaders, Golez prevailed over Silay City Councilor Ryan Gamboa as the standard bearer of Asenso Silay in 2025 elections.
The convention was attended by a total of 4,574 Asenso Silay barangay and family leaders. Golez said he got 2,775 votes.
Gamboa, an incumbent Silay City councilor, who expressed his intention to run for mayor, garnered 1,784 votes.
“I am thankful and feel blessed” Golez said, adding that he was very happy that the Silaynons still remember him despite being “out of the loop for a while”.
The Asenso Silay convention was led by brothers Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez.
Before the convention was conducted, Golez said the Benitez brothers consulted with all the Silay City barangay captains, where he got the support of 15 out of 16 of them.
Based on the survey results among the Silay barangay kagawads, Golez said he got the support of 90 percent of barangay councilors.
Asked if Gamboa is being considered as his running mate, he replied “all are being considered”, as he stressed that the game now is addition, not subtraction.
“Councilor Ryan has his own supporters. He is popular and he can be a big help to the party,” Golez said, adding that he will sit down with the Benitez brothers. | GB
