INQUIRER.net Eleksyon 2007

‘All in the family’ in Negros Oriental poll races

Visayas Bureau

Alex Pal

DUMAGUETE CITY -- Once again, it's all in the family.

Several political families in Negros Oriental are fielding more than one candidate in the May 14 polls in what many see as bids to expand their influence throughout the province.

In some districts, spouses are jointly running for public office while in other places, the father-son or the brother-brother team is in.

But in the first district, it is brother against brother or sister-in-law.

Representative Jacinto Paras, who is barred from seeking a fourth term, has fielded his wife Olive as a candidate of Kampi (Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino or Partner of the Free Filipino), the party of President Macapagal Arroyo, against his own brother Jerome, who is seeking to return to his old post under the Nacionalista banner.

Jacinto and another Paras brother, Joselito, are running for mayor of Guihulngan town.

In Canlaon City, Mayor Judith Blanco-Cardenas is running for reelection while her brother, Hernani Blanco, is running for reelection as city councilor, both under Kampi.

La Libertad Mayor Josie Sy-Limkaichong is seeking the congressional seat of the first district while her husband, Lawrence, seeks to return to the mayoralty post. Both are with the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD).

In the town of Ayungon, former provincial board member Lorenzo Dy and wife Lee Faburada-Dy are running for mayor and vice mayor, respectively, under the Lakas CMD.

In Bindoy town, Vice Mayor Rosa Yap Paras (Kampi) and her brother, Mayor Valente Yap, seek to swap positions.

In the town of Manjuyod, Mayor Amor Baldado is seeking reelection while his brother, Jose, is running unopposed for vice governor unopposed with Kampi.

In Bais City, Mayor Hector Villanueva is running for reelection while his daughter, Karen, is also seeking reelection as city councilor under the Lakas CMD. Villanueva will encounter Francisco, who is running for mayor under Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC).

In Pamplona town, Mayor Apolinario Arnaiz Jr. is running for reelection while his brother, Governor George Arnaiz (NPC), is running for the congressional seat representing the second district. Their father, Apolinario Arnaiz Sr., also sits in the provincial board as president of the province's association of barangay councils. Mayor Arnaiz' son also sits in the municipal council as Sangguniang Kabataan (SK; Youth Council) chair of Pamplona.

In the town of San Jose, former mayor Fe Pareja Montano is running for mayor while her husband, former general Ramon E. Montano is seeking the seat of the second congressional district with the UNO-Liberal Party.

Second district Representative Emilio Macias II is running for governor of Negros Oriental under the NPC banner, while his son Erwin is seeking reelection to the provincial board.

Dumaguete City Councilor Saleto Erames (NPC) is running for provincial board member while his son Rommel (Lakas Kasaligan) is running for a seat in the city council and Saleto's brother Arturo (independent) is running for Dumaguete vice mayor.

In Valencia town, Mayor Rodolfo Gonzalez Jr. (Lakas CMD) is running unopposed for reelection while his brother Freddie is seeking a seat in the council. Mayor Gonzalez' nephew is also SK chair of the town.

In Zamboanguita, husband and wife Marcelo and Lourdes Adanza (Lakas CMD) are running for reelection as provincial board member and municipal mayor, respectively.

In Siaton, former town mayor Teopisto Yap Jr. is running for board member while his son, Teopisto Yap III, is running for mayor under the NPC.

With the retirement of Representative Herminio Teves from politics, his congressional seat is being contested by his grandson Pryde Henry A. Teves and nephew Edgar. A grandson of the congressman, Dan Leon, and a brother-in-law, George Villamor, are running for councilor in Dumaguete.

Aside from the mayor of Valencia, Amlan Mayor Bentham dela Cruz and Mabinay Mayor Enosario Baldoza are also running unopposed.

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