Montelibano, Golez proclaimed in Silay City

RE-ELECTED Mayor Jose “Oti” Montelibano and Vice Mayor Mark Andrew Golez were finally proclaimed Thursday night as the winners for mayor and vice-mayor, respectively, of Silay City after the canvassing of votes by the City Board of Canvassers (CBOC).

Montelibano won by a margin of 914 votes, garnering 29,411 votes over Carlo Gamban's 28,497, while Golez garnered an overwhelming 41,296 votes over his opponent July Ledesma.

Prices, prizes up for PCSO’s 6/42, 6/45 draws

EFFECTIVE yesterday, May 17, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) doubled its betting price from P10 to P20 per combination, as well as the jackpot prizes, for the Lotto 6/42 and Megalotto 6/45 games.

PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II, in a press conference Friday at the PCSO office at the Paglaum Sports Complex, Bacolod City, said that the minimum jackpot prizes also increased effective yesterday from P3 Million to P6 Million for Lotto 6/42 and from P4.5 Million to P9 Million for Megalotto 6/45.

Tubillara seeks recount vs Magno

MAYORAL candidate Jilson Tubillara revealed his plans to file a Protest for Recount against re-elected Mayor Mario Magno.

Magno won against Tubillara by only 20 votes.

Bacolod City councilors-elect thank voters

AS ELECTION is over, many things happened to both winners and losers.

The expression of gratitude from the winners becomes endless, while those who did not make it in the May 13, 2013 polls could hardly be seen or reached even by phone.

Caña: 'Political prostitution' worsened

INDEPENDENT congressional candidate for the lone district of Bacolod lawyer Lyndon Cana could not imagine the apparent political prostitution which has worsened in the city as evident in the recent conduct of the May 13, 2013 polls.

"While I accept the result of the election, it is confirmed to me that money has become the dominant force in Bacolod and even in national politics,” he said.

Orola hopes miracle can make Bart win

LAWYER John N. Orola, City Administrator and brother of Engr. Bart Orola, candidate for councilor hopes that a miracle would happen considering that there are still 3,200 plus votes which were not canvassed by the Board of Canvassers due to defective PCOS machines' memory cards.

He said that since there are still some returns that were not yet counted but he does not know whether it can still offset the votes who got the 12 slot.

New vice guv assures SP won't be 'obstructionist'

NEWLY elected Vice Governor Eugenio "Bong" Lcason on Thursday assured that, although the composition of the incoming Provincial Board is dominated by the opposition party to which he belongs, it will not be obstructionist to the programs of re-elected Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr.

Rep. Alvarez eyes Kabankalan as highly urbanized city

RE-ELECTED Sixth District Congresswoman Mercedes Alvarez will push for the conversion of Kabankalan City into a Highly Urbanized City during her second term.

Alvarez was proclaimed Thursday after winning over her opponent Philip Arles for the second time. She garnered 101,824 votes while Arles got 53,366 votes.

Vladi rises above defeat

PAMILYA MKK vice mayoralty candidate Vladimir Gonzales has stood firm to rise above his defeat in the recent May 13, 2013 elections.

Gonzales said acceptance is better for him so that he could move on and pick up the pieces.

Cops on poll duty to get P1,800 each

EACH of the 474 Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) personnel who were deployed for poll duty last Monday will receive P1,800 subsistence allowance from the City Government through the Bacolod City Commission on Elections (Comelec), a police official said.

BCPO Spokesperson Supt. Armando Tubongbanua, in a press briefing at the BCPO Headquarters, said that the police deserve the subsistence allowance, as they performed well in keeping the whole electoral process peaceful and successful.

Stolen car recovered

A 1980 model Toyota Sedan that was stolen at the parking area of SM City Bacolod on Wednesday evening was recovered by personnel from the Police Station 1 Thursday morning along Gonzaga Street in Bacolod City.

The car, with plate number JAF 283, was driven by Mary Joy Araneta who parked it at the SM City Bacolod South Wing Car Park around 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Marañon remains guv, UNA reps proclaimed

RE-ELECTED Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. and congressmen belonging to his party, the United Negros Alliance (UNA), were proclaimed Wednesday by the Comelec Provincial Board of Canvassers (BOC) at the Provincial Capitol.

Second District newly-elected Representative Leo Rafael Cueva, Fourth District re-elected Representative Jeffrey Ferrer and Fifth District re-elected Representative Alejandro Mirasol were also proclaimed, along with re-elected Board Members Salvador Escalante and Miller Serondo of the Second District, Jose Benito Alonso of the Fourth District and Alain Gatuslao of the Fifth District.

2 killed, 2 hurt as poll bets’ supporters clash

TWO supporters of opposing political camps, one belonging to newly elected Don Salvador Benedicto Mayor Jose Max Ortiz and the other belonging to outgoing Mayor Marxlen dela Cruz, were killed while two others were wounded in a shooting incident around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in Spur 16, Don Salvador Benedicto.

Provincial Police Director Senior Supt, Ricardo Dela Paz identified the fatalities as Rolando Apelyedo, a losing Sangguiniang Bayan member candidate under the ticket of Ortiz, and Jack Sabas, a casual employee of Dela Cruz at the municipal government.

Benitez vows to re-file Sugarcane Bill

RE-ELECTED Third District Congressman Alfredo “Albee” Benitez said he will re-file the Sugarcane Industry Development Bill which he sponsored during his first term.

Benitez was proclaimed last night by the Provincial Board of Canvassers as the re-elected congressman in the district with 136,623 votes over his opponent, former Congressman Jose Carlos Lacson, who garnered 63,305 votes from Victorias, EB Magalona, Silay City, Talisay City, and Murcia.

Budget approval seen next week

THE passage of the provincial budget for Negros Occidental for this year is expected next week after the Provincial Board agreed in its regular session Wednesday to elevate the budget to the second reading.

Board Member Melvin Ibañez said that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) has given the Committee on Finance one week to review its committee report for the amendments.

2 board members figure in near fistfight

MEMBERS of the Negros Occidental Provincial Board on Wednesday pacified Board Members George Gitano (ABC President) and Joben Alonso before the session started.

The tension between the two board members started when Gitano, who ran but lost against Alonso’s twin Pontevedra Mayor Jomar Alonso, tried to shake hands in a gesture of reconciliation with Alonso but Alonso spurned the offer, saying that he could not accept reconciliation because of his allegation that Gitano's camp employed dirty politics against his twin.

Ferrer: People of 4th District are my ‘king maker’

RE-ELECTED Fourth District Rep. Jeffrey P. Ferrer Wednesday said he owed his victory to the real owners of the district which are the people.

He even considered his beloved people as the "king maker".

Leonardia takes oath as congressman

BACOLOD City Lone District Congressman-elect Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia took his oath of office before Regional Trial Court Judge Franklin Demonteverde Wednesday at his office at the Bacolod New Government Center.

He was joined by his wife Elsa and daughter Kara and some supporters and friends.

Sayson’s loss saddens Grupo Progreso

BACOLOD City Lone District Congressman-elect Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia said that Grupo Progreso members felt bad about the fate of Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, their mayoralty bet who was defeated by three-termer Cong. Monico Puentevella during the May 13, 2013 polls.

Sayson was confident to win the election due to the pronounced unity prevailing in his chosen political party. However, the election did not favor him but mayor-elect Puentevella instead.

Mayor-elect willing to reunite, work with foes

BACOLOD City mayor-elect Monico Puentevella said Tuesday he is willing to reconcile and work with congressman-elect and incumbent city Mayor Evelio Leonardia and his other political foes.

"I can unite with incoming Congressman Bacolod Mayor 'Bing' Leonardia, with everybody and anybody. The important thing is the welfare of Bacolod. We have so many problems and debts, garbage, traffic, peace and order (issues). How can we solve this problem if we are divided?" he said.

Bacolod’s rep, vice mayor, councilors named

THE Commission on Elections in Bacolod proclaimed on Tuesday congressman-elect incumbent city Mayor Evelio Leonardia, vice mayor-elect Greg Gasataya, and the 12 councilors who won in the May 13 polls.

Despite failing to canvass the remaining four clustered precincts, acting Bacolod City election registrar lawyer Milagros Salud Villanueva officially proclaimed Tuesday night the winners in the Monday polls.

Marañon leads gubernatorial race

REELECTIONIST Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. requested Negrenses to set aside differences and move forward for the good of the province, as he led the partial official canvass of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday.

As of Tuesday night, Marañon was ahead with 130,000 votes against Nationalist Peoples’ Coalition gubernatorial bet Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez, based on the results of the canvass from 21 out of the 31 towns and cities throughout the province.

Benitez, Mirasol, Ortiz win

FORMER third district Representative Jose Carlos Lacson conceded Tuesday to re-elected Representative Alfredo Benitez.

In a text message to Sun.Star-Bacolod, Lacson extended his message to Benitez, saying, "The people have spoken. God bless you in your future endeavors."

NPC gets majority of local posts

MAJORITY of the mayors who ran under the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) and their allies won in the Monday midterm polls based on the partial official results of the provincial board of canvassers on Tuesday night.

However, NPC standard-bearer Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez lost to reelectionist Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. of the United Negros Alliance (UNA).

Leonardia: New post a big challenge

BACOLOD City lone district congressman-elect Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia considers his new post as a big challenge.

"Where legislative work is concerned, we will try to see to it that, on matters that affect the whole nation and our city, we will take a localized approach in the sense that I would like to take the cue from the people here," he said.

Iglesia member punches man over choice of candidate

A MEMBER of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) in Bacolod City reportedly punched a man Tuesday night following an altercation over their choice of candidate in the Monday polls.

Isidro Randy Cariman of Lacson Hernaez St., Barangay 38, Bacolod City allegedly punched Ireneo Canaya of Purok Kalong-Kalong, Barangay Singcang Airport, Bacolod City after Canaya questioned Cariman for not voting his bet who was endorsed by the INC.

Army: Escalante polls peaceful, successful

AN officer of the Philippine Army lauded the peaceful and successful conduct of the elections in Escalante City, an election watchlist area.

The Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police were not deterred in making the electoral activity in Escalante City peaceful and successful, despite the city being branded as one of the hot spots in the province, said 3rd Civil Military Operations Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Cinco of the Philippine Army's 3rd Infantry Division.

50,000 people join Alvarez-Lacson rallies

AN ESTIMATED crowd of 50,000 people gathered in the four different venues of the campaign trail of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) to show their support to gubernatorial candidate Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez and his running mate vice gubernatorial candidate Eugenio Lacson.

The huge crowd in La Castellana, Murcia, EB Magalona and Victoria City led Alvarez to conclude that their victory in the May 13 polls is clear.

Alvarez bares threats from ‘CIDG’ agents

NATIONALIST People’s Coalition (NPC) gubernatorial bet Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez bared Friday that several persons posing as agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) are going around the sixth district circulating threats that they will conduct raids on the Alvarezes.

Alvarez said that one of his supporters, while on board a Ceres bus going to Cauayan, heard two men talking to each other that they are agents of CIDG and that they are going to raid a DPWH light house in Sitio Soton, Cauayan.

Leonardia, Sayson, Gasataya get support of Iglesia ni Cristo

THE Nationalist People’s Coalition – Grupo Progreso revealed Friday that the potent Iglesia ni Cristo endorsed the candidacies of Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson and former Councilor Greg Gasataya for congressman, mayor and vice mayor, respectively.

Known for its block-voting among its almost 15,000 members in Bacolod, the religious group also endorsed reelectionist Councilors Bobby Rojas, Em Ang, Caesar Distrito and Carl Lopez, as well as NPC-GP councilor bets Ed Guillem, Prospero Leonardia and Alex Paglumutan.