Gamboa holding on to 12th SP seat

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Bacolod City political coalition Grupo Progreso (GP) is near a 15-0 sweep following last Monday’s midterm elections.

Based on the partial and unofficial count as of 11:48 a.m. yesterday, incumbent Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia leads his opponent, former Bacolod City Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, 141,897 votes to 79,534. Meanwhile, incumbent Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran is ahead of former Bacolod City Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson; and incumbent Bacolod City lone district Rep. Greg Gasataya is outpacing former Congressman Monico Puentevella.

The race for Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) is also currently dominated by GP candidates with incumbent Bacolod City Councilor Wilson Gamboa, Jr., a member of the opposing Asenso for Better Bacolod-Magbinuligay Kita sa Kauswagan coalition, occupying the last spot.

He is currently edging out GP candidate Marlon Solidum by 85,485 votes to 84,879, a difference of 606 votes.

Solidum also ran for an SP seat in the 2016 elections.

Votes are currently still pending from three clustered precincts in the areas of Barangays Felisa, Singcang-Airport, and Taculing; while four other clustered precincts in Barangays 3, Estefania, Vista Alegre, and Taculing encountered corrupted SD cards.

The Commission on Elections estimates around 6,000 votes have yet to be counted from the seven clustered precincts./DGB, WDJ