• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
We will remain independent, until further notice, Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez declared yesterday.
His uncle, Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez (3rd district, Negros Occ.), recently joined the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, while his father, Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, earlier said that he and about 100 local officials in the province are resigning from PDP-Laban.
While he joined politics in 2022 as an independent candidate, Mayor Javi admitted that he has leanings and alignments with the ideologies of some national parties.
Victorias City Vice Mayor Abelardo Bantug III and nine city councilors were the first batch of local officials in Negros Occidental who resigned from PDP last month, following the announcement of a party official that PDP may field former mayor Francis Frederick Palanca as its candidate for governor of Negros Occidental in the 2025 polls.
They said such a decision was made without consultation with them and the incumbent officials of Victorias City.*
