WILL the 2019 election in the Fifth Congressional District of Negros Occidental be a battle between cousins?
Reports have it that Himamaylan City Mayor Agustin Ernesto Bascon and his cousin, Board Member Alain Gatuslao, are signifying interest in the congressional seat.
Representative Alejandro Mirasol will end his term in 2019.
Bascon, who is already on his third and last term, is the son of Himamaylan Vice Mayor Carmencita Bascon who is the sister of former assemblyman Antonio Gatuslao, the father of the board member.
Bascon has been saying he is waiting for a sign but people close to him said he has been asking the blessings of the higher officials from Love Negros while his cousin was reportedly asking the blessings of Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. of United Negros Alliance (Unega).
Reports from a highly reliable source said that former presidential sister-in-law, Marilou Arroyo, who was earlier reported to be interested in running for congressman in the fifth district, was not a registered voter in the district.
Mirasol, on the other hand, was reportedly making a comeback as mayor of Binalbagan and will fight it out against his former ally, incumbent Mayor Emmanuel Aranda.
