Local News: Mirasol Filing Candidacy Today

Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol yesterday said he is filing his certificate of candidacy (CoC) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Provincial Office today.

THE FIFTH DISTRICT. Bacolod City Mayor Alejandro "Bebot" Mirasol during an interview with Bacolod media people in his residence in the town yesterday– the last and the highlights day of the town’s Balbagan "and Pasidungog sa Mangunguma" festival. Mirasol said he is filing his Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) today for the 5th district special congressional election on June 2, 2012. He also said surveys are not reliable but the ultimate June 2, 2012 will be everybody’s concern and the final basis. If given the chance to serve as congressman, Mirasol said the first step he will make is to promote "renewal". The 5th district post was left vacant when Cong. Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo passed away a few months ago.* (Arman Toga photos)

Today is the last day of filing of CoCs for the special election on June 2 which will seek the replacement of the late congressman Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo who died last January in London after a long battle with cirrhosis of the liver.

The campaign period will be on May 17 to 31.

Mirasol appears to be heading for a showdown with his nephew, Board Member Emilio Yulo III, who is reportedly filing his CoC also today.

When asked for his reaction on separate surveys that showed both and Yulo are in a close fight, Mirasol said he does not believe in the accuracy of surveys.

"I don’t believe in (the accuracy) of surveys. Let the people decide (who wins the election). It will be decided by a majority of the populace," he said.

Mirasol said he has more faith in the support of the people whom he met everyday in his daily visits to various areas of the 5th District.

"I am more comfortable with their pledges of support than reading between the lines of survey results," he said in dialect.

But Mirasol believes that his parties, the Liberal Party and the United Negros Alliance (UNA), will be a big factor in his victory.

He said once elected as congressman of the 5th District, his platform of government would be "RENEWAL," an acronym for Road and infrastructures, Environment and social education, Education, Water, Agriculture, and Livelihood.

He also called on Yulo and his supporters to be professional and above-board in the race to the congressional post.

This as he learned from Moises Padilla Mayor Francisco Nazareno that some of his supporters in a certain barangay there are being threatened by some individuals.

Although he refused to elaborate, Mirasol said these harassed supporters have already filed a police blotter, as told to him by Nazareno.

MAXIMUM VISIBILITY

In a related development, around 1,000 members of the Philippine Army’s 30rd Infantry Brigade (IB), Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO), and the 6th Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) will be deployed in the 5th District of Negros Occidental on June 2 during the conduct of a special election there, Col. Oscar Lactao, 303rd IB commander, yesterday said.

Although there is no barangay in the 5th District that is categorized as "election watchlist area" or "election hotspot," Lactao said they are deploying about 1,000 policemen and military personnel to ensure that the special election will be peaceful and orderly.

Lactao said they are going to maximize visibility operations in the 5th District, particularly in six hinterland barangays categorized as "NPA (New People’s Army)-influenced areas."

Two of these barangays are in La Castellana, one in Moises Padilla, one in Binalbagan and two in Himamaylan City. There are no barangays considered as NPA-influenced in Hinigaran and Isabela towns.

Major Alex Elnar, operations officer of the 303rd IB, said the six barangays were classified as NPA-influenced but not as election hotspot.

Elnar said the assessment of the different barangays in 5th district was made during Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center meeting held two weeks ago at the NOPPO Headquarters.

Senior Supt. Allan Guisihan, Negros Occidental police director, said that of these 1,000 personnel, 150 will come from the 6th RPSB.

Guisihan added they have not monitored any report of existing private armed groups being maintained by politicians in Negros Occidental.

PEACE COVENANT

Provincial election supervisor Jessie Suarez, who presided over the joint Army-PNP-Comelec provincial coordinating conference yesterday, appealed to the candidates observe Comelec guidelines on psotering of campaign materials, and to camp"I in the accuracy of surveys. Let the people decide (who wins the election). It will be decided by a majority of the populace," he said.

CLOSE FIGHT

Meanwhile, Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. on Monday said it is going to be a "close fight" in the 5th District special poll.

The camp of Yulo reportedly claims he is leading, while Marañon said their own survey reveals Mirasol will win in the election.

There are towns where Mirasol is leading and there are towns Yulo is the winner in the surveys, he added.

Of the five mayors in the 5th district, four are reportedly supporting the bid of Mirasol. They are Hinigaran Mayor Hermilo Aguilar, Moises Padilla Mayor Francisco Nazareno, Isabela Mayor Francis Malabor, and La Castellana Mayor Alberto Nicor - all UNA members.

Himamaylan City Mayor Agustin Ernesto Bascon, also an UNA member, pledged his support to Yulo, a cousin of his wife, saying family is more important than politics.*(Danny B. Dangcalan)