‘It is still Lacson-Ferrer tandem in 2022’

By Dolly Yasa

United Negros Alliance (UNegA) secretary general and Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. said the tandem of Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer will lead their ticket in the May 2022 elections.

Escalante said that should somebody challenge Lacson, it would not be somebody from UNegA.

He added that except for Toboso and Isabela towns, the status quo will be maintained for the positions of mayor, board members, and congressmen in Negros Occidental.

Escalante said they cannot stop Vice Mayor Renato Malabor Jr. from challenging incumbent Mayor Irene Montilla.

In Toboso town, the wife of Toboso Mayor Richard Jaojoco also signified her intention to run for the position in next year’s elections.

Escalante said that they cannot withdraw their support from incumbent Rep. Maria Lourdes Arroyo (Lakas NUCD-UNegA), should former Board Member Alain Gatuslao decide to challenge her as representative of the 5th District.

Gatuslao, he said, is an active UNegA member, and a former provincial board member.

He added, though, that they have yet to confirm from Gatuslao if he is indeed running for the congressional post.

For the 2nd District in Sagay City, Escalante said it was already agreed, although unofficially, that Mayor Alfredo Marañon III will run as representative of the 2nd district, Vice Mayor Narwin Javelosa for mayor, and incumbent Rep. Rafael Leo Cueva as vice mayor.