Ex-Isabela Councilor Withdraws From 2025 Board Race

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY – Former Isabela town Councilor Patrick Miguel “PM” Montilla has withdrawn his candidacy for a seat in the Negros Occidental Provincial Board, representing the fifth district, in the upcoming May 2025 midterm elections.

Montilla, an independent candidate, officially withdrew by filing a sworn Statement of Cancellation/Withdrawal with the Provincial Commission on Elections on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. His office issued a press statement on Sunday confirming the withdrawal.

He is the first candidate in the upcoming elections to back out.

In his sworn statement, Montilla said his withdrawal came “after careful thought,” citing personal reasons.

He specifically noted that his decision aligns with paragraph 2 of Section 73 of the Omnibus Election Code, which allows candidates to withdraw prior to the election.

Montilla explained that his candidacy stemmed from the need for unified provincial legislation on key public issues such as road safety and public health. He also highlighted the absence of effective policies to protect stakeholders in the sugar industry, which remains the province’s main economic driver.

His advocacy for road safety, he said, was influenced by personal tragedy, as he lost his father in a car accident. Similarly, his push for reforms in the sugar industry was driven by his own experiences in sugar farming.

Montilla lamented the lack of government intervention in addressing the long-standing challenges faced by sugar industry stakeholders.

He pointed out that sugar planters frequently struggle during the milling season due to exploitative middlemen known as “contractors.” These contractors, he said, take advantage of farmworkers by withholding wages, forcing them to abandon contracts and move from one farm to another.

As a result, he added, planters are often left without workers and are forced to hire cutters from outside the province at higher costs, despite having already paid advances to local contractors.

Montilla also noted the absence of legal avenues for both planters and farmworkers to hold contractors accountable. He stressed that the lack of government support makes agrarian reform beneficiaries vulnerable to exploitation.

Montilla revealed that he has been considering other opportunities that could allow him to push for road safety and sugar industry protections without holding an elected position.

“I might lose these alternative avenues if I proceed with my candidacy, which is why I opted to withdraw,” he said.

While he did not disclose specific details, Montilla assured his supporters that his efforts remain aligned with the interests of the fifth district and that he will reveal his plans at the right time.