BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The list of 25 or more Negros Occidental mayors and officials supporting presidential bet Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his vice-presidential candidate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, will be released by Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer after the UniTeam grand rally on February 23 in Bacolod City.
There’s no need for them to hide. They should toe the line, Ferrer, who is strongly campaigning the BBM-Sara tandem in Negros Occidental, stressed.
Majority of mayors who are reportedly BBM-Sara supporters are keeping a low profile, as their wives and children, as well as relatives are supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo’s presidential candidacy.
Ferrer also disclosed that majority of Negros Occidental solons are also supporting the Marcos-Sara tandem.
The grand caravan of UniTeam led by Marcos Jr. will start at about 3:30 p.m. of Feb. 23, along the national highway of Silay City, where hundreds of vehicles are expected to participate,and will converge at the open space of BREDCO Port in Bacolod City for a grand rally.
Mayor Sara, who will reportedly come from Iloilo province, is also joining the UniTeam at the BREDCO Port.
Ferrer said there are no local candidates in Negros Occidental to be proclaimed by the UniTeam headed by Marcos. On the contrary, it will be the local candidates, who will endorse the national candidates of UniTeam, he stressed.
Netizens have criticized Ferrer, husband of Rep. Juliet Ferrer, granddaughter of the late former Ambassador Roberto S. Benedicto, and local chief executives for their support to the BBM-Sara tandem.
“There is no respect anymore. Seems they are the ones who is right. Don’t we have freedom anymore?” Ferrer said, stressing that he did not even question their choice.
But he stressed that he will never engage them in street and gutter language.
“We will campaign on a professional level,” Ferrer stressed.
During the grand rally, Ferrer said that BBM and Sara will present their platform of government to the Negrenses.
As to claim by some sectors that Negros Occidental is “pink country,” Ferrer said that “those who say those statements are their own supporters.
“We are not claiming that Negros is BBM- Sara country. We are just doing everything to support our candidates,” he pointed out.*
