Monday, October 02, 2017
Marchel P. Espina

LOOKS like there won’t be a clash between Negros Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Third District Representative Alfredo Benitez in the gubernational post in the 2019 elections.

The lawmaker said Sunday that “we will not run against each other.”

Benitez, who is on his third and final term, was included in the senatorial slate of the administration party in the next elections.

However, he said that he has yet to make a decision about his political plans.

“No decision yet,” he added.

Both Benitez and Lacson have been tight-lipped on the talks about their possible clash in the top provincial post in 2019.

Both are leaders of Love Negros, rival political party of United Negros Alliance (Unega) headed by Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., who is on his third and final term.

Benitez had earlier said he could run for governor, senator, or rest from politics in the next elections while Marañon had been urging the lawmaker to run for senator in the next elections.

Lacson, on the other hand, has yet to reveal his political plans.

He had earlier said that running for governor in 2019 is an option considering that Marañon is now on his last term.

Unega and Love Negros used to be allies before their break up in 2013, when Marañon decided to seek a second term against Nationalist People’s Coalition bet former vice governor Genaro Alvarez, who was supported by Benitez.

Benitez and Alvarez then formed Love Negros as the opposition party.