The United Negros Alliance will support the reelection bid of Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson in 2022.
The assurance was made by Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, concurrent UNegA president, in the wake of reports that a Negrense lawyer might challenge the reelection bid of Lacson, standard bearer of Love Negros.
UNegA and Love Negros supposedly entered into an “alliance” in 2019, although the latter handily toppled all candidates fielded by the former, including the election of Philippine Councilors League representative to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, as well as the Association of Barangay Captains and the Sangguniang Kabataan leadership in the province.
In an interview, Ferrer also disclosed plans to seek reelection as runningmate of Lacson next year.
Ferrer said that if someone will run against Lacson “it will not come from UNegA”.
Lacson brushed aside reports on Monday that he will be challenged in the next year election, adding that he will just continue his work for now as top Capitol executive.
The filing of the certificate of candidacy for the 2022 elections is set October this year by the Commission on Election.
Lacson also claimed that the coalition between Love Negros and UNegA remains strong.
In December last year, Lacson administered the oathtaking of newly-elected officials of UNegA, which is now headed by Sagay City Mayor Alfredo Marañon III, who had replaced his father, the late Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., as party chair.
“I have no reason to think that it will not hold,” Lacson said on Monday.
Board Member Andrew Montelibano also clarified that he has no plans yet to run as mayor of Murcia, saying that he is happy serving the province under the leadership of Lacson.
But Montelibano said that he cannot stop anybody, who may run against incumbent Mayor Gerry Rojas.
Rojas was then Montelibano’s vice mayor.
He was endorsed by Montelibano during the 2019 elections.
“If there is a clamor from the people of Murcia, the (current) administration should step back and see what is going on in the town,” he added.
Some political observers, however, viewed Montelibano’s statement as “loaded” and could be an indication of his possible return to Murcia against Rojas. – GB
