BACOLOD City Acting Vice mayor Ricardo Tan said he is considering to run for mayor in the 2019 elections.
This, after Abang Lingkod party-list Representative Stephen Paduano has already transferred his voting registration in Bacolod and announced that he will not retire from politics.
The party-list solon said that if he will run in Bacolod, it would be either for a congressman or for mayor.
Tan said it is the right of Paduano to transfer from E.B Magalona to Bacolod City.
“We have to respect that and I welcome him to Bacolod. This is a free country and anybody can say that they will run for a congressman or for mayor,” he said.
Tan admitted that both of them are the former ally of the current administration led by Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
“The statement of Paduano only shows that there is a discontentment on the group of Leonardia like the leadership problem and political crisis. We left the group and we might run against Leonardia,” Tan said.
He said he is hopeful that the united opposition will unite and there is a possibility that both of them will run in the same political party because everything in politics is possible.
Tan had earlier met with Paduano and former mayor Monico Puentevella in a social gathering, but he denied that they talked about politics.
“We did not talk about politics and I will announce that in due time,” Tan said.
Paduano had earlier said that he only has two options to seek re-election for his third term or to run a post in Bacolod in 2019.
For his part, Executive Assistant Samuel Montoyo said they welcomed the transfer of voter’s registration of Paduano to Bacolod, at least the city will now have two congressmen.
He said he is hopeful that Paduano can deliver visible projects to the residents of Bacolod.
Montoyo clarified that Paduano is not the political ally of the Leonardia administration.
“He’s not a member of the Grupo Progreso. He only joined in some events, but he is not a member,” Montoyo said.