Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante, Jr., who is also the secretary general of United Negros Alliance, said that Board Member Jose Benito "Joben" Alonso has been a frontrunner for the vice gubernatorial post after Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer said he may return as congressman of the 4th District of Negros Occidental.
Escalante made the statement after Abang-Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano claimed that it will be the tandem of Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Alonso in the coming 2025 elections.
Paduano said he and Board Member Andrew Montelibano are endorsing Alonso and that he also believes that Alonso is Ferrer's choice to be his successor, though, he stressed it is the call of Unega to fill a vice gubernatorial candidate based on their alliance with Love Negros, which has a say on the alliance's gubernatorial bet.
Escalante said he could not confirm or deny that Alonso was their choice for the next vice governor.
He added they are leaving it to Ferrer to make the formal announcement.
Ferrer is the party's president.
The mayor said UNegA will have a general assembly this May for their preparations for the coming elections next year.*