Poll board tells Benitez to submit position paper on protest suit

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – The Election Registration Board (ERB) of the Bacolod Commission on Election on Monday gave former Negros Occidental 3rd district congressman Alfredo Benitez three days to submit his position paper on the opposition filed against his transfer of voter’s registration from Victorias City here.

Benitez later declared his candidacy for Bacolod City mayor in the May 2022 elections.

“You know I had seen enough, I have heard enough, the clamor of the people is undeniable, so I am officially running for Mayor for 2022,” Benitez told reporters here

Benitez expressed confidence that the opposition will not prosper.

In a separate press conference Monday, the oppositors and their lawyers also expressed confidence that their complaint will be resolved in their favor.

Atty. Marc Vaflor believed the oppositors have enough evidence to nullify Benitez’s transfer of voter’s registration.

Vaflor also said they noticed a surge in applications for transfer of registration voters from cities and municipalities outside of Bacolod.

He said that aside from Benitez, they also filed opposition to 221 persons who also moved their registrations to the city.

The lawyers also presented to the media one of their witnesses who claimed he has not seen Benitez in his alleged residence here.