• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday doused speculations of an alleged rift among Love Negros members.
Asked if there is a rift between him and Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, Lacson replied “there is none.”
“I think, maybe there are some people who want to create a controversy,” he stressed.
Top officials of the United Negros Alliance (UNegA) earlier pledged support to any plans of Lacson in 2025.
Benitez held a get together party on Monday night at his residence in Bacolod City, which was attended by Lacson, who also said that 14 Love Negros mayors participated, while two others did not make it as they were outside of the province.
He added that politics was not discussed during the activity.
On several occasions, Lacson had been invited by UnegA to its activities.
The UNegA – Love Negros coalition started in 2019, through the efforts of the late Gov. Alfredo Maranon Jr. and Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, when they fielded Lacson as governor and Jeffrey Ferrer as vice governor, a tandem that was carried on during the 2022 elections.
Lacson, who is affiliated with Love Negros, agreed with UNegA top officials that the coalition of the two local political groups is getting stronger.*
