Mayor confirms meeting with Alvarez, Cojuangco

KABANKALAN City mayor Isidro Zayco confirmed Friday that he met with former Ambassador Eduardo 'Danding' Cojuangco and Vice Governor Genaro 'Lim- ao' Alvarez in Balbina, Pontevedra last Tuesday.

Zayco said they were invited for lunch by Cojuangco, founder of the United Negros Alliance (UNA) and chairman of Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC).

"We have not discussed politics," Zayco clarified.

With them during the lunch were Cojuanco's wife Gretchen and Ely Tajanlangit, Festival Director of Bacolod City’s Silver MassKara Organization.

Zayco said he was informed through a phone call by Cojuangco's staff about his invitation for lunch a night before their meeting.

Zayco, however, neither confirmed nor denied reports about Alvarez being chosen to be UNA’s gubernatorial bet in the 2013 elections.

Zayco and Alvarez are cousins.

A Sun.Star Bacolod source said if the negotiations among UNA officials fail, Alvarez will most likely run for governor in tandem with former San Carlos City Mayor Eugenio Lacson under UNA.

Lacson has reportedly discussed his planned candidacy for the second top post in the province with Representative Albee Benitez (Third District, Negros Occidental) in a meeting that took place last Wednesday here in Bacolod City.