Peña: 1st, 6th districts will help Alvarez win

PULUPANDAN Mayor Magdaleno Peña is confident that Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez will win the gubernatorial seat in the May 13 elections, with the first and sixth Districts delivering the winning votes.

Peña's statement is in response of Governor Alfredo Marañon's statement earlier claiming victory in the elections with the First to the Fifth Districts delivering the winning votes.

"He is dreaming. He is already 80 years old and could be starting to have Alzheimer's disease. The fact is, that (a victory for Marañon) is not going to happen," Peña said in reaction to Marañon's statement.

Peña explained his predictions which he said are based on facts that, in the 2010 elections, Marañon's winning votes were delivered by Alvarez in the Sixth District and by Rep. Jules Ledesma in the First District.

"First and Sixth Districts will give Alvarez a big margin in the May 13 elections. Give the Second District to Marañon. In the Third District, the edge would not be that big as well as in the Fourth and the Fifth Districts. Alvarez would win by a margin from 70,000 to 100,000 votes over Marañon," Peña declared.

Incumbent representative Jules Ledesma (First District), Albee Benitez (Third District) and Mercedes Alvarez (Sixth District) are supporting Alvarez.

Sagay City Mayor Leo Rafael Cueva is unopposed for congressman in the Second District while Jeffrey Ferrer (Fourth District) and Alejandro Mirasol (Fifth District) are backing Marañon.

Moreover, Peña explained that Bago City and Pulupandan will deliver votes for Alvarez.

"In La Carlota, Ferrer is going to win there by landslide but he will lose in Bago City by 10,000 votes and Pulupandan will not vote for him. We (Peña and Ferrer) are still good friends but we were put in an awkward position because he has gone against (former Ambassador Eduardo) Cojuangco. The Fourth District will be a close fight between Ferrer and Ike Barredo," Peña said.

The prediction of Peña was also rebutted by Philip Arles, congressional candidate in the Sixth District and son of the late Judge Henry Arles.

Philip said in a press conference that Marañon is going to win in the Sixth District, despite the pronouncement of Marañon conceding that Alvarez will have a small edge over him in the Sixth District, the bailiwick of Alvarez. (TDE)