LEADERS of the two rival groups in Negros Occidental are expected to sit down today (August 17) to talk about the 2019 elections.
Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., who leads the United Negros Alliance (Unega), and Third District Representative Alfredo Benitez, who heads Love Negros, will have a meeting today in an undisclosed location.
A SunStar Bacolod source, who is very much privy about the said meeting, said major political developments may be revealed soon after the meet of the two political leaders.
Benitez, along with Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, was authorized by the Love Negros to be their representative in the merger meeting.
It is not yet clear if the looming merger of the two major political groups in the groups in the province will push through, as both parties recently filled their respective candidates in the Provincial Liga ng mga Barangay president wherein Love Negros’ bet won.
There are also reports that Benitez, should he run for governor, will run with Sagay City Mayor Alfredo Marañon III, son of the governor.
Unconfirmed reports also claimed that an alliance between Lacson and former Fourth District representative Jeffrey Ferrer is looming for 2019, with Lacson to run for governor and Ferrer as his running mate.
Ferrer lost to Lacson in the 2016 elections.
But both Benitez and Lacson, along with other Love Negros members, stressed they will not clash with each other in the gubernatorial post come 2019.
Lacson still has one term for vice governor, while Benitez is already on his third and final term as congressman.
Benitez was also included in the senatorial line-up of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan, the party of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The solon from the Third District had been very elusive about his political plans.
Lacson said they will soon decide in Love Negros if who will be their standard bearer.
The filing of the Certificate of Candidacy, which is in October, is fast approaching.