• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has declined a proposal for him to continue leading Abanse Negrense as the group moves toward possible accreditation as a party-list organization.
This was confirmed by Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr., secretary general of the United Negros Alliance (UNegA), saying that Lacson has expressed his intention to retire from politics.
“Gina-convince namon si Gov. Bong, indi gid siya (We are trying to convince Gov. Bong, but he really doesn’t want to),” Escalante said on Tuesday, Sept. 15.
He said the filing period for party-list accreditation had lapsed amid efforts to convince Lacson to take the lead in the proposed group.
Escalante stressed that Lacson remains the political face of Abanse Negrense, making it difficult to simply transfer the group to another political personality.
“The face of Abanse Negrense is Gov. Bong,” he said.
Escalante also cautioned against handing the organization to another person, saying such a move could create the impression that its political identity was being taken over.
“If ihatag sa iban, ang gwa mo sina nag-usurp. Not good (If it is given to others, it will turn out that you usurped it). Not good,” Escalante said. | GPB
