BACOLOD City – Abang-Lingkod Partylist representative Joseph Stephen Paduano said he won’t run for mayor in this city in next year’s midterm elections.
“I will no longer pursue it,” Paduano said yesterday.
Paduano joining the mayoralty race became rife after he registered as a voter in Bacolod in July.
But the congressman said he was not retiring from politics, adding that he must still ensure the presence of the Visayan bloc at the House of Representatives especially that his ally Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Negros Occidental, 3rd District) is on his last term.
Paduano said there is “still a lot of work” he can do in Congress.
He also clarified that he is not allied with any political group in Bacolod, citing the photo of him with former mayor Monico Puentevella uploaded on social media.
But Paduano said he will be supporting Thaddy Sayson who plans to run for vice mayor in Bacolod next year./PN
