• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) has endorsed, as of May 9, an initial set of 21 candidates, coming from a mix of political parties, running for various elected posts in Negros Occidental, including highly urbanized Bacolod City.
The independent non-trinitarian Christian church that practices bloc voting among its members endorsed Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez for the Bacolod congressional seat, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran for the Bacolod mayoralty post, and Councilor Kalaw Puentevella for the Bacolod City vice mayoral post.
E.B. Magalona Matthew Louis Malacon and his father, incumbent Mayor Marvin Malacon, who is instead running for the town vice mayoral position, thanked the INC for their endorsement.
Mayor Neil Lizares also thanked INC for endorsing his wife, Atty. Rowena “Weng” Lopez Lizares, who is running to replace him as mayor of Talisay City in the May 12 elections.
Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo and her husband, Felix Mathias, who is running for vice mayor of Moises Padilla, also thanked the INC for the endorsement.
Expressing his appreciation to the INC, Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo said “Your endorsement of my candidacy for reelection as Congressman of the 5th District of Negros Occidental is a solemn honor I deeply cherish and a responsibility I vow to uphold with integrity and unwavering commitment to public service.”
Other candidates supported by the INC in Bacolod City are reelectionists Councilor Celia Flor, Pao Sy, Jason Villarosa, Israel Salanga, Vladimir Gonzales, Thaddy Sayson, and councilor aspirants Caesar Distrito, Em Ang, Homer Bais, Wilson Gamboa Jr., Dindo Ramos, and Bobby Rojas.*
