Governor says ‘it’s not good for investments’

BACOLOD CITY: For Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, calls for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to resign are not good for investments.

“We know that many are still supporting the present administration. In fact, we should always give an incumbent administration the opportunity to do service to the Filipino,” said Lacson on Monday, January 29.

Lacson made the statement in reaction to Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s call for the President to resign, citing dissatisfaction with his administration.

Still, the governor believes that the statements of the mayor “are his personal observations.”

“We should not give the impression that the country is divided,” said Lacson.

He pointed out that “if that (resignation) happens, automatic business opportunities will just close its door and we have to wait for the next administration.”

For his part, Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez, president of the Association of Chief Executives in Negros, said he “does not understand where the criticism is coming from.”

“I was surprised. We didn’t expect it to come from him. Everyone is free to say whatever they want as we are a democracy,” Benitez said.

He added that he talked with some local leaders in the province that President Marcos “should be given a chance as it is just a year and half and expectations are high.”

“We need to be unified at this point,” uttered Benitez, stressing that the President and his team are doing their best to bring development to the country.

Benitez added, one could “question the timing of the remarks. Why? When you were saying we’re unified. Why are they these right now?”

Duterte made the statements during the Hakbang ng Maisug-Leaders Forum for Transparency, Accountability, Peace and Security at the Grand Men Seng Hotel, Magallanes, Davao City on Sunday, January 28.

The mayor also criticized the administration for prioritizing politics over the well-being of the people and accused them of befriending enemies of the previous administration, citing the resumption of peace talks with insurgents as an example.