Volunteer lifesaver challenges 3rd district lawmaker

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – A volunteer of the Provincial Disaster Management Team has challenged Negros Occidental 3rd district Rep. Francisco Benitez.

Bernard Ferraris of Victorias City, who is running under the Reform PH-People’s Party, was among the last to file his Certificate of Candidacy for congressman in the 3rd district on Friday, barely beating the 5 pm deadline.

Ferraris is the lone challenger of Benitez, brother of provincial consultant and former 3rd district congressman Alfredo Benitez.

The incumbent solon filed his COC October 4 and is running under the PDP-Laban Cusi wing.

Ferraris is an agriculture graduate (major in animal husbandry) and conducts training on disaster response in the towns and cities in the province.

Benitez, on the other hand, earned his master’s degree and doctorate degree in comparative literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Their family owns the Philippine Women’s University.

Ferraris is running with Paul Octaviano and Vice Mayor Gabriel Timbol and four councilors.

Meanwhile, former vice governor Dino Yulo and Barangay Captain Macoy Javelosa of Aguisan, Himamaylan are challenging incumbent 5th district Rep. Marilou Arroyo- Lesaca.

Lesaca is running under Lakas-CMD-UNeGa party while her challengers are both independents.

The four other congressional candidates in Negros Occidental are unopposed – Rep. Gerardo Vallmayor (1st district), Alfredo Marañon III (2^nd district), Rep. Juliet Ferrer (4^th district) and former congresswoman Mercedes Alvarez (6^th district).

In Bacolod City, incumbent Rep Greg Gasataya is running for his 3rd and last term. His challengers are engineer Narciso San Miguel of the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan, Danny Atayde, retired policeman Wilfredo David, and Romy Gustilo who are all independents.