By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. yesterday said he would support Negros Occidental third district Rep. Alfredo Benitez in his 2019 aspirations, despite being members of opposing local parties.
“We are both members of the PDP-Laban in the national party, but I am with the United Negros Alliance (UNegA) in the local,” the governor explained.
Benitez leads the local political group Love Negros, of which current Negros Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson is a member.
The congressman has recently been floated as both a potential candidate for governor and senator in 2019.
Earlier this week, the mayors of the third district unanimously declared their support for Benitez to seek the governorship. However, Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Stephen Paduano would like to see him run for Senate./WDJ