“The alliance of Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and Congressman Greg Gasataya is strong and they will still be in tandem for the 2025 midterm elections.”
This was stressed by Atty. Caesar Distrito, spokesperson of Benitez, after the mayor took a selfie with Gasataya during the ceremonial energization of the Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) Backbone Project at the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) Bacolod Substation in the said village.
Distrito said that while the mayor was waiting for the arrival of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., he took a selfie with Gasataya and his daughter to erase any doubts, put down, and clear any speculations that there was animosity between the two.
“The clear message of the picture is that the alliance of Gasataya and Mayor Albee is strong and they will still be the tandem for the 2025 elections,” he said.
He said there’s no clear yet on the composition of the slate of Benitez, but for now, the alliance of Gasataya and the mayor is still strong and whatever the decision of the mayor for the elections, the opinion of Gasataya will be considered, and their alliance will continue.
“I don’t see the possibility that the two will run against each other. There is no Gasataya vs. Benitez in the 2025 elections,” he added.
Distrito noted that there were some individuals who wanted to join the team of Gasataya and they wanted to destroy the good relationship of the solon and the mayor.
They will make an issue so that they will also be given an opportunity to run under the slate of Gasataya or Benitez,” Distrito said.
Moreover, Distrito said, if Gasataya, who will end his term this year, chooses her daughter to run as a congresswoman, Franz, is also qualified.
“She is the village chief of the biggest barangay in Bacolod, a law student, and vice president of the association of the punong barangay captains so she is highly qualified to run as a congresswoman,” he said.*