Ibuna mulls running for Iggy Arroyo’s House seat

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines—Grace Ibuna may just run for the House seat vacated by her long time partner, Representative Ignacio Arroyo Jr. who passed away last January.

She said she will throw her hat in the June 2 special election for the congressional seat representing the fifth district of Negros Occidental if her favored candidate, Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol, will not run.

Ibuna, a registered voter of Hacienda Grande Robles in La Castellana, said she believed that Mirasol was capable of continuing the projects implemented by Arroyo in the fifth district.

She added that Mirasol also had the “sincerity and word of honor that defines a good man.”

“I don’t want to run but if it’s my destiny and my calling I’ll abide by it. I am only for the welfare of the people of the fifth district  who showed so much love for Iggy, that will never leave my heart,” she said.

Mirasol, of the United Negros Alliance, is also seen as the Aquino administration’s candidate for the special elections and is widely believed to be the choice of the UNA.

He was the first mayor of Negros Occidental to openly campaign for President Benigno Aquino in the 2010 elections.

But his nephew, Board Member Emilio Yulo III, is also bent on running for congressman of the fifth district. “I will definitely run, unless stopped by divine intervention,” he said.

A mock election was to have been held among political leaders in the fifth district to determine who between Mirasol and Yulo should run in the special elections, but it was called off after Mirasol and Yulo decided to settle the matter between themselves.

The fifth district is composed of Himamaylan City and the towns of Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Isabela, La Castellana and Moises Padilla.

Mirasol said he would wait for the decision of UNA on who to field for the 5th district.

“I will respect the decision of Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. who is the chairman of UNA; like  a good soldier I will abide by the party’s choice,”he said.

Aside from Mirasol, another UNA aspirant for the  fifth congressional seat is Board Member Melvin Ibañez.

A meeting between Marañon and fifth district officials of UNA was held Thursday but the governor said no decision had been made yet on whom the party would field.

Other contenders for the post are Marilou Arroyo Lesaca and former Board Member Enrique Montilla.