Local News: Key Questions Raised During LP Induction Ceremony Unnamed During Bacolod Meet
The Liberal Party (LP) in Bacolod City got a boost yesterday when several new members were inducted as officially affiliates of the political party whose most prominent official and member is President Benigno Aquino III, in an induction ceremony at the Bacolod Pavillon Hotel in the reclamation area yesterday by provincial party chairman, third district Congressman Albee Benitez.
Among those inducted as new members were the now known First Five Group of Bacolod City councilors led by Councilor Archie Baribar, El Cid Familiaran, Sonia Verdeflor, Catalino Alisbo and Elmer Sy, and Games and Amusement Board (GAB0 Chairman Ramon Juan Monju Guanzon former Councilors Jocelle-Batapa Sigue and Anne Marie Palermo.
Present LP officials led by Bacolod Chairman Frank Carbon led the partys officials present during the lunch ceremony at the Bacolod Pavillon Hotel.
After the induction ceremony where Provincial LP Chairman Albee Benitez fielded questions, issues uppermost in the minds of the media and many of those present could not be answered because Benitez forwarded the view that until political processes are observed and the United Negros Alliance (UNA) which now groups together in a coalition the LP Nacionalista Party (NP) and the Nationalist Peoples Coalition (NPC) with its influential guru, former Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco is convened and decisions made collectively is it final.
Until then a few weeks from now when the UNA convenes as an aggrupation and the provinces UNA-affiliated congressmen decides on key questions and issues incumbent in the selection of candidates in the coming election is collectively decided, nothing could be considered final yet.
Negros Occidental journalists asked a lot of key political questions in an attempt to elicit answers to questions propounded to Benitez, and other LP officials present but all stuck to the observance of processes entailed in the selection guidelines.
Such questions uppermost in the minds and actually asked by journalists present, included direct ones asked of Benitez on the possible choice of the coalition for governor and vice-gubernatorial candidates in the coming 2013 elections but Benitez stuck to his guns.
Even Councilor Archie Baribar demurred when asked what position he was gunning for and although, it is widely held that he would run for Bacolod City vice-mayor he deigned to answer the question.
If members and affiliates do not abide with the process in the selection of candidates and which must be done democratically and which would be consensual, the coalition could disintegrate, said Benitez.
It is widely believed that Benitez has chosen Vice-Governor Genaro "Lim-ao" Alvarez to contest the gubernatorial post in the province but he denied it saying the processes have not even started yet.
Besides, everybody must submit themselves to the decision of the coalition as that is the process observed in every Election Day.
The selection process has become more convoluted what with a coalition already eked out between three political parties which are clearly different from the former coalition.
There are conflicts not only in the province but the city as well, many people know.
Not one can dictate on the members of the coalition who they will select and bat for.
Talks have been all over saying Benitez, the LP provincial chairman has mustered enough political power to be considered a political kingmaker, aside from the main one, former Ambassdor Eduardo Cojuangco.* (Edgar A. Cadagat)
