Mayor downplays squabble among party’s vice mayor aspirants

BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia downplayed the conflict among former vice mayor Renecito Novero and Councilors Homer Bais, Al Victor Espino and Dindo Ramos who are all reportedly interested in vying for vice mayor in the 2013 polls.

The three councilors are hoping that one of them will be chosen as the vice mayoralty candidate of the Nationalist People’s Coalition–Grupo Progreso in the 2013 polls. However, Novero entered the picture and has been saying that he is willing to gun for his former post as the party’s bet as vice mayor.

The rift among the four became more apparent when Novero attended Leonardia’s birthday celebration last July 10. The three councilors boycotted the birthday bash in protest over Novero’s presence.

But the mayor, who is the party’s chairman, said the party has not made any deal with anybody up to this point and the post for vice mayor remains officially open.

Leonardia said the party leadership is supposed to talk to several people and make their own survey as to the winnability of the candidate. The process involves everybody and anybody who is interested to run for the said post, he said.

Meanwhile, Leonardia said it is not a big deal if some councilors did not attend his birthday party last July 10, because he was not expecting a perfect attendance.

He said he wants to talk to the three councilors regarding the matter but he is still trying to fit it in his schedule, because he wants to talk to them personally and not over the phone.

Walkout

Leonardia belied rumors that Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson and Councilor Bobby Rojas walked out during his birthday celebration.

He said Sayson and Rojas left during the celebration to represent him in welcoming the officers of the City Mayor's League, which held their meeting in the city in preparation for the national meeting in Bacolod in October.

The mayor reiterated that the position for the party’s vice mayoralty bet is open and that Sayson should have a running mate whom he is comfortable with.

Golez not an NPC member

As to the membership of Bacolod Representative Anthony Golez to the NPC, Leonardia clarified that Golez is not the vice chairman of the party. He said he asked for it before but the officers and members did not grant him that request.

"There is no Golez in the record of NPC officers," Leonardia said.

The mayor is the chairman of the party; Sayson is vice chairman; Greg Gasataya, secretary; and Councilor Dindo Ramos, treasurer.

He said the exercise of the equity of the incumbent is not included in the party’s Constitution and by-laws. "It can be practiced but it is not absolute that whoever sits as the incumbent official can enjoy absolutely the equity of the incumbent," Leonardia said.

However, he said that he will just cross the bridge when he gets there.

Golez is currently out of the country and cannot be reached for comment.