What free zone?

There is no possibility that Bacolod will be a free zone for the Nationalist People's Coalition-United Negros Alliance in the May polls, Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon stressed yesterday.

The governor denied a report (not in the DAILY STAR) that quoted him as saying the NPC-UNA will be forced to declare Bacolod a free zone if former Bacolod police director, Vicente Ponteras, decides to run for mayor against incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia.

Ponteras recently joined UNA, while Leonardia is a member of the NPC.

The equity of the incumbent will be respected in the choice of the party's Bacolod mayoralty bet, Marañon said.

That is why arrangements are being made for UNA and the NPC to have a single line-up in Bacolod, he said.

Meanwhile, Marañon said Ponteras should clear his name as soon as possible of an allegation hurled against him by a police asset so his candidacy will not be affected.

Police asset Cecil "Giant" Brillantes Jr. named two former Bacolod city police directors among the 15 policemen allegedly involved in the kidnapping and murder of a former Bacolod barangay captain and his two companions in Bacolod City on Aug. 31, 2003.

Brillantes claimed that Senior Supt. Vicente Ponteras, then Negros Occidental Police Director, Senior Supt. George Bajelot, then Bacolod police director met with Senior Insp. Clarence Dongail, Senior Insp. Jonathan Lorilla, Senior Insp. Jimmy Fortaleza a week before the murder of Brgy. Captain Eleuterio Salabas and his two companions. Ponteras could not be reached for comment as of press time.*CPG

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