Two incumbent officials of Negros Oriental who are pitted against each other for the gubernatorial seat in the May 2016 polls are supporting the bid of Liberal Party presidential standard-bearer Mar Roxas.
Arch rivals Gov. Roel Degamo of the National People’s Unity/Partido NegOrense and 2nd district Rep. George Arnaiz of the Nationalist People’s Coalition-Liberal Party have announced their support to the former Interior and Local Government Secretary following the filing of their Certificates of Candidacy last week.
Both said on separate media interviews that they believe in Roxas’ leadership skills, and that he is the best choice among all presidential candidates for next year’s polls.
Arnaiz, an NPC stalwart and current NPC provincial chair, pointed out that because of his party’s union with the Liberal Party, he expects to be proclaimed the official candidate for governor of the ruling party.
On his third and final term in Congress, Rep. Arnaiz has joined hands with the LP in Negros Oriental, headed by Jocelyn Limkaichong, who is making a return to the 1st district congressional seat which she held for two terms until 2013.
Limkaichong sought the gubernatorial seat in 2013, which was also contested by former 3rd district Rep. and former Finance Sec. Margarito Teves, who Arnaiz had supported then. Both Limkaichong and Teves lost to Degamo.
Governor Degamo, meanwhile, is confident that even if he will not be the official administration candidate for governor, he will still get the backing of Mar Roxas. Both were seen together a number of times, especially at the height of the establishment of the Negros Island Region.
Meanwhile, the race for governor in Negros Oriental in 2016 will be three-pronged, with the entry of an “unknown” individual in the Province’s political scenario.
Walter Rosario Gasendo, 41, and a resident of Bayawan City, became the last COC filer close to deadline time Friday afternoon.
In the documents he submitted to the provincial office of the Commission on Elections, Gasendo (Independent) listed “MagDegamo” as a nickname, and the name to appear in the official ballot.
Gasendo has not also submitted his political lineup to the COMELEC. (PNA JFP)
