Ex-lawmaker dethrones Bacolod City mayor

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Several supporters of Asenso Bacolod who were clad in white flooded the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) Tuesday, as former Negros Occidental 3^rd district congressman Alfredo “Albee” Benitez was officially proclaimed as mayor of this city.

The Board of Canvassers led by Atty. Revo Sorbito, city election officer, along with City Prosecutor Ma. Theresa Ditching, and OIC-Schools Division Superintendent Reynaldo Gico, proclaimed the winning candidates at the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod session hall around 9:04 a.m.

Benitez, the standard bearer of Asenso Bacolod, garnered 171,893 votes or 61.53 percent of the ballots cast, to defeat incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia of Grupo Progreso (GP) with 107,447 votes (38.46 percent).

Leonardia was gunning for his last 3-year term.

In a media interview, Benitez thanked the people of Bacolod for the overwhelming support in their campaign rallies.

Benitez said nobody thought that he would score that big in the polls.

“The message is clear, every election is the validation kung ano ang hinimuan mo. Everything that is happening now is because of them (Bacolodnons). Ila ni gusto, sila gid ni nagbutang sa akon diri. This is for them,” he added.

Benitez said that this is the time to bring hope and change to the city.

“Change is what they need, so we will make sure we can bring that to them,” he added.

Benitez said they will get down to business after they rest for a day or two, as they intend to execute their plans and do their best.

He said they will have to clean up and check all City Hall records to determine their status and start planning so that they can execute their programs, starting from the transition period.

Aside from Benitez, his partymate incumbent lone district Rep. Greg Gasataya also won with 185,470 votes, which the Comelec considered as the highest in the city.

Gasataya defeated businessman Dan Atayde with 80,591 votes, Nonong San Miguel with 850 votes, Romy Gustilo with 738 votes, and Willy David with 618 votes.

Benitez’s partymates also dominated the City Council, with former Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus “Thaddy” Sayson as the number one elected councilor with 134,635 votes.

Seven other Asenso Bacolod bets also made it to the City Council.

Incumbent Councilors Israel Salanga and Cindy Rojas came in second and third with 123,237 votes and 122,629 votes, respectively; Em Ang, executive director of Emergency Operations Center (EOC), with 116,953 votes; incumbent Councilor Al Espino with 115,197 votes; businessman Vladimir Gonzalez with 113,145 votes; incumbent Councilor Renecito Novero with 113,046 votes; SK Chairman Jason Villarosa with 111,027 votes; former Councilor Claudio Puentevella with 108,950 votes; incumbent Councilor Simple Distrito with 107,030 votes; former Councilor Celia Flor with 103,768 votes; and Pao Sy (daughter of the late Councilor Elmer Sy), with 98,978 votes.

Espino, Gonzalez, Villarosa, Puentevella, Distrito, Flor, and Sy are with Asenso Bacolod.

“It all started last year sa campaign namon. We discussed to ensure that our message is strong. Kung ano plano namon sa Bacolod sure na mabati-an. We were serious and we mean business,” Benitez said on the group’s victory.

In the vice mayoralty race, reelectionist Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran under Leonardia’s slate topped the race with 128,893 votes against former Councilor Caesar Distrito of Asenso Bacolod with 103,236 votes, and incumbent Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr., an independent candidate, with 32,033 votes.

Only Novero failed to join the proclamation of the winning candidates.

For his part, Gasataya said they are thankful to the people of Bacolod for trusting them, despite some of their partymates were not given a chance to serve the city.

“Let’s get back to work. What is important is all of us will help each other for Bacolod,” Gasataya said.

Meanwhile, Sayson said he was happy that he was again given the chance to serve the city, despite failing to win in the three previous elections.

“Gin regaluhan ta sang pumulyo sang number 1 na position, mas grabe na responsibilidad, but we are ready for the responsibilities,” Sayson said.

Familiaran said he was both happy and sad with the outcome of the elections.

“Happy because na re-elect ta liwat, although may pila ta kaupod na na pierde,” he said.

But he noted that this is public service.

“We have to move on and unite (work as one), serbisyo ta sa publiko,” Familiaran said, as he also thanked the people and Leonardia for the trust.

When asked for reaction about the Asenso Bacolod majority in the City Council, Familiaran, who will remain as presiding officer, said they have to respect the decision of the majority because the council is a collective body.

Rojas, Ang, and Salanga, who are the frontliners in the city’s pandemic response, also thanked the Bacolodnons for exercising their rights to vote.

Rojas said it was a bittersweet victory for her, but the election has already ended.

“Let’s all get back to work,” she added.

Bacolod City has 327,403 registered voters but only 290,202 actually voted, or a 88.63 percent turnout from 450 clustered precincts, based on the records from the Comelec-Bacolod.

Sorbito said this was one of the fastest elections in Bacolod.

Sorbito said there were no major technical problems that were reported, but only very simple problems that were resolved immediately by their personnel.

“We have canvassed and consolidated all the reports and have proclaimed the winning candidates, he said, as he thanked the personnel, teachers, and all the stakeholders for their cooperation and support. From the very start until now, we can confidently declare that the elections here have been very, very peaceful,” he said.

When asked if he had received a protest or complaint, Sorbito said he has yet to. But, in case there will be a protest, he noted that it is the right of any person affected by the results of the election.

“Ila na ya diretso, as long as they can prove their allegations,” he said.

Sorbito said the newly-elected officials of the city will assume office on June 30, 2022.