• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
United Negros Alliance (UNegA) president, Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, yesterday said he sees no problem if some of their members will join the Kilusang ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) which is headed by Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez.
Benitez has filed a petition for KNP accreditation before the Commission on Elections, which is being expected to be decided by the Comelec next month.
The political movement, according to Benitez, was formed by members of Congress and other elected officials supporting the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Ferrer, who is affiliated with National Unity Party (NUP), said “he is sure that many will go with Mayor Albee,” especially if the advocacy is good for the people, and the province (Negros Occidental).
He also expects that UNegA will remain intact and will have an alliance with any national party, when elections approach.
During the 2022 elections, UNegA members were given the leeway to choose their presidential candidates.
Most probably, we may adopt the same position to preserve UNegA as a provincial party, with each mayor having their own choice, Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante, the UNegA secretary general, earlier said.
But with Benitez in the KNP, Ferrer stressed “we may have a voice in the national government, if this body will succeed.”
Escalante, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, and then Sagay City Mayor Alfredo Marañon III, who is also the UNegA party chairman, supported the presidential bid of former Vice President Leni Robredo; while Ferrer and almost all mayors in Negros Occidental gave their support to Marcos Jr., who won in the presidential race.
Anybody can join the other party, Ferrer said.*
