Gov. Joseph Marañon yesterday again called on former Rep. Julio Ledesma IV to a dialog with Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco to resolve the matter of his plan to run for congressman of the first district of Negros Occidental in May.

The governor issued the call in a letter responding to submission by Ledesma of his Nationalist People's Coalition-United Negros Alliance list of candidates for the two cities and three towns of the first district of Negros Occidental.

Rep. Tranquilino Carmona, an NPC-UNA member, has also announced his plan to run for reelection as congressman of the first district of Negros Occidental. Carmona said he will also field his own full slate of candidates for the first district of Negros Occidental if Ledesma insists on running.

The solon pointed out that the list of candidates submitted by Ledesma to the governor was unauthorized by the party but he is still hoping that the matter can be resolved by the leaders of NPC-UNA through a dialog. "Without going into the validity of such unilateral act on your part in behalf of the political parties concerned, we still reiterate our suggestion…that the matters be discussed in a meeting with Cojuangco," the governor wrote Ledesma after receiving of the list of candidates he sent .

Cojuangco is chairman emeritus of NPC and a founder of UNA.

Ledesma without prior consultation with Marañon, submitted on Feb. 1 an NPC-UNA official list of candidates for the first district of Negros Occidental to the governor citing the fact that he is district chairman and secretary general on UNA.

He asked Marañon to take note that the listed names have the ratification signatures of each candidate.

"All these have been done in accordance with the directive of Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. given me last 27 July 2006," Ledesma said adding that all unfilled vacancies will be completed within the next ten days.

LEDESMA'S CANDIDATES

Ledesma furnished a copy of his letter to Marañon to Ambassador Cojuangco, Rep. Carlos Cojuangco, Rep. Gilberto Teodoro, the NPC and UNA secretariats, and the municipal directorate.

In the list he submitted Ledesma said his candidates are Marañon for governor, Isidro Zayco for vice governor, and Renato Gustilo and Nehemias de la Cruz for board members.

De la Cruz on Monday said he had not agreed to run under the ticket of Ledesma as he had committed to join the ticket of Carmona.

For San Carlos, Ledesma said his candidates are: mayor -- Eugenio Jose Lacson, vice mayor -- Gerardo Valmayor Jr., and councilors - Edgardo Quisumbing, Jose Carlos Villarante, Gregorio Santillan, Luis Dizon, Roberto Santiago, Dixon Yu, Rommel Debulgado and Fleurdelis Mascuñana.

His candidates for Escalante are: mayor -- Melecio Yap Jr., vice mayor -- Gilda Crisme, and councilors - Rose Manguilimotan, Willian Saratobias, Bernardino Patigas, Rogelio Prietos, Loreto Bering, Alfonso Francisco Jr., Aladino Lumayno Jr. and Roy Doromal. For Calatrava: mayor - Heddo Balgos, vice mayor - Araceli Somosa, and councilors - Bernardo dela Rita, Clodualdo Dedicatoria, Elpedio Secretaria, Marilyn Era, Patricio Alvarez, Sergio Librando Jr., Rudy Peromingan and Eldie Monterde.

For Toboso: mayor - Albino dela Cruz - III, vice mayor Antonio Lim Sr., and councilors - Arturo Taganile, Donald dela Cruz, Antonio Lim Jr., Edgardo Tiam, Alberto Morados, Matias Valiente and Remus Caballero.

For Don Salvador Benedicto: mayor - Laurence Marxlen dela Cruz, vice mayor - Cynthia de la Cruz, and councilors - David Pontillano, Vicente Bacordo, Dante Rodrigazo, Basilides Delantar, Antonio Salazar, Henry Alcorin and Susan Alisna.

CARMONA'S LINE-UP

If Ledesma fields his own slate, Carmona said his candidates will be Nehemias dela Cruz and Fernando Leonor for board members, and his mayoralty bets will be Elmero Layumas for San Carlos, Alicia Barcelona - Escalante, Evelio Valencia - Toboso, Boy Baguio - Calatrava and Laurence Marxlen dela Cruz - Don Salvador Benedicto.

Marañon said there are still six weeks during which they can try to settle differences in the first district, but if they cannot, all those interested in running have a right to do so.

SENATORIAL BETS

Meanwhile, Marañon said he is sure that at the end of the day the NPC senatorial candidates will have to side with the opposition or with the administration ticket.

If they do not do that, we in the provinces will be affected, he said.

I am sure some decision will be reached because the NPC leaders will not want to paddle their canoe in two rivers, he said.*CPG

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