Arroyo sister-in-law runs for House seat as Negros Occidental rep

Ma. Lourdes “Marilou” Arroyo-Lesaca (center) with husband John Lesaca (right), Fifth District Rep. Alejandro Mirasol (secnd from right), niece Dina Arroyo-Tantoco, and Abang Lingkod partylist Rep. Stephen Paduano (left) during the filing of her certificate of candidacy at the Comelec office Bacolod City on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018 (Photo by NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER / Philippine News Agency)

BACOLOD CITY — House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo still has an influence in Negros Occidental even if she is no longer president.

The United Negros Alliance (UNegA), led by Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., and Love Negros, led by Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, and Vice Go. Eugenio Jose Lacson already named their congressional candidates for the 5th District of Negros Occidental.

UNegA was supporting Board Member Alain Gatuslao, and Love Negros was rooting for Himamaylan City Mayor Ernesto Agustin Bascon.

But the two groups changed their line-up.

Now they’re both supporting former Kasangga Rep. Ma. Lourdes Arroyo-Lesaca, a sister-in-law of the Speaker, who filed her certificate of candidacy at the Negros Occidental Comelec office in Bacolod City on Tuesday.

Arroyo-Lesaca was accompanied by her husband, violinist John Lesaca, along with her niece, Dina Arroyo-Tantoco, and husband, Paolo.

Arroyo-Lesaca said her candidacy had the approval of her sister-in-law, Speaker Arroyo.

She said she wanted to run for a House seat because she felt there was still “unfinished business” in the district after the death of her brother, Ignacio “ Iggy” Arroyo, who was 5th District representative, in 2012.

“Iggy’s death was so tragic that the family felt that we have to continue what he started which is to bring more infrastructure projects, improve the delivery of basic services, prioritize health care, generate jobs and livelihood in the district,” Arroyo-Lesaca said.

Arroyo-Lesaca, a Kasangga party-list representative in the 14th Congress (2007-2010), said she was grateful for the overwhelming support of local officials. /atm