BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Former congressman-turned-provincial consultant, Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez, will transfer his voter’s registration records from Victorias City to Bacolod City today, House Minority leader and Abang Lingkod Rep. Stephen Paduano confirmed yesterday.
Paduano said that Benitez has a house in Brgy. Mandalagan that qualifies him to be a resident of Bacolod City.
Before filing his application for transfer of voting registration at the Bacolod City Comelec office, Paduano said that Benitez will attend a 12:15 p.m. mass at the Bacolod Cathedral, where he will be joined by his friends, including Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, mayors, and Sangguniang Panlalawigan members, among others.
Asked if the transfer of Benitez’s voting registration to Bacolod City signals his intention to run for mayor of Bacolod in next year’s elections, Paduano said that question should be answered by Benitez himself.
Streamers and placards with the message “Run Albee Run”, and social media posts urging him to run for mayor of Bacolod have proliferated on the streets and in the internet the past days.
The names of Ferrer and even himself also cropped up as possible running mates of Benitez in some streamers, Paduano said.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday that he has yet to have a talk with Benitez and to have a clearer picture, in response to reports that he is transferring his voter’s registration to Bacolod City. “I’d like to know from him what will happen tomorrow, April 22,” Lacson said but did not say if he will attend the mass at the Bacolod Cathedral.*
