By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Caught in the middle of two political allies and friends, Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya said Thursday that he has decided to stay neutral in the looming “battle royale” between incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia and former Negros Occidental 3rd district congressman Alfredo Benitez in the May 2022 elections.
“I am not taking sides. I will run as neutral. I have decided. The decision was difficult to make but it was made with the most important and sacred consideration in mind: the lives of the people of Bacolod City. I will run as the official congressional candidate of the Nationalist People’s Coalition,” Gasataya said in a statement on his Facebook page.
Gasataya said that Leonardia and Benitez are his wedding godfathers.
“Both are significant to my personal and political journey,” he added.
He also said that his decision is ultimately premised on the realization of the Bacolod City General Hospital which will start construction next year amid election season and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We can all agree that we need a hospital in these most critical of times. Our healing greatly depends on it,” he added.
