Unlike in the 2016 elections when Negrenses united to support the candidacy of Mar Roxas, members of the United Negros Alliance are free to choose the presidential candidate that they will support in the May 2022 polls, its secretary general, Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr., said Dec. 4.
This is because there are many choices, and the national party, and President Rodrigo Duterte have yet to decide the candidate to be supported, Escalante said.
The support of the president is a very important factor, he added.
“As an incumbent official, I don’t want to openly disagree with the president’s choice,” Escalante stressed, adding, “I see to it that Cadiz gets what is available from the national government.”
“But at the end of the day, I will also make my own choice. As of this time, however, I will fully support the pronouncement of the president,” Escalante said.
In the second district, which is composed of Cadiz, Manapla, and Sagay, they have decided to have one common presidential candidate, he added.
“It is also the same in the fourth district, and I hope in other districts, too,” Escalante said.
UNegA has 183 members all over Negros Occidental, from congressman down to councilor.
UNegA president, Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, also said that it is too early yet to declare the presidential candidate that the party will support.
But Ferrer said everybody is aware that his leanings are for BBM (BongBong Marcos), after his friend, Senator Bong Go, who recently announced his withdrawal from the presidential race.
Ferrer cited the close family relationship between the Marcoses and Benedictos.
His wife, 4th District Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer, is the granddaughter of the late former ambassador Roberto Salas Benedicto.
But Ferrer said he will respect the decision of UNegA, although he is planning to talk to the mayors one by one./GB
