• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The three names being considered to be vice gubernatorial candidates of the United Negros Alliance (UNegA) for the 2025 mid-term elections are not yet final.
Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr., the UNegA secretary-general, said yesterday that they have yet to talk to the three potential candidates.
With the name of La Castellana Mayor Alme Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan cropping up as a possible candidate, Escalante said he was instructed by party president Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer to call for a general assembly among their members on the first week of December.
Mangilimutan, who is on her third and last term as mayor, earlier hinted that she is open to the possibility of running for governor.
Escalante admitted that the inclusion of Mangilimutan in the shortlist was not taken up during the initial meeting of UNegA.
He, however, said it is not only limited to three potential candidates.
Ferrer, who confirmed his intention to regain his former position as congressman of the fourth DISTRICT, said that the UNegA vice gubernatorial bet will come from southern Negros.
Top officials of UNegA have already expressed their support to the planned re-election bid of Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson for a third term and final term.
Lacson’s party Love Negros also agreed that the vice gubernatorial bet or running mate of Lacson in the 2025 elections will come from UNegA.
Escalante said that as soon as UNegA makes a choice of its vice gubernatorial bet, they will make a formal endorsement of the tandem, and will also request Love Negros to do the same.
Love Negros members will reportedly hold a get-together next month as officials of the Regional Development Council-Western Visayas chaired by Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez are slated to visit Macau on Dec. 7. | GB
