• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Former Silay City Mayor Mark Golez yesterday announced that he is resigning from the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP) Laban, as he confirmed his intention of mounting a comeback in politics in 2025.
Golez said that incumbent Vice Mayor Thomas Maynard Jison Ledesma and seven councilors of Silay City are PDP-Laban members.
Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez earlier announced that about 100 PDP members in Negros Occidental are resigning from PDP.
Benitez is the chairman of the PDP-Laban in Negros Occidental.
“Wherever the Benitezes, I will go with them,” Golez stressed.
During the Asenso Silay convention on May 11 in Victorias City, which was attended by barangay captains and kagawads, as well the party family leaders, Golez prevailed over Silay City Councilor Ryan Gamboa to be the standard bearer of Asenso Silay in the elections on May next year.
The convention was attended by a total of 4,574 Asenso Silay barangay and family leaders.
Golez said he got 2,775 votes.
Gamboa, an incumbent Silay City councilor who expressed his intention to run for mayor, garnered 1,784 votes.
“I am thankful and feel blessed,” Golez said, adding that he was very happy that is still remembered by Silaynons even though he was out of the loop for a while.
The Asenso Silay convention was led by the Benitez brothers, Bacolod City Mayor Albee and his brother, Rep. Jose Francisco.
Before the convention was conducted, Golez said the Benitez brothers consulted with all the Silay City barangay captains, where he got the support of 15 out of 16.
Based on the survey results among the Silay City barangay kagawads, Golez said he has the support of 90 percent of barangay councilors.
Asked if Gamboa is being considered as his running mate, he replied “all are being considered,” as he stressed that the game now is addition, not subtraction.
Councilor Ryan has his own supporters. He is popular and he can be a big help to the party, Golez said, adding that he will sit down with Mayor Albee and Cong Kiko.
Asked if he had considered incumbent Vice Mayor Thomas Maynard Jison Ledesma, who was his running mate in the 2022 elections, as a possible running mate, he also replied “Why don’t you ask him? Then, you tell me what his answer is, then, I will answer you.”*
