FORMER Negros Occidental Third District congressman Alfredo “Albee” Benitez was leading in the Bacolod City mayoralty race against incumbent Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia based on the partial and unofficial count of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as of 10:30 p.m. yesterday, May 9.Benitez, of Team Asenso, secured an initial 143, 683 votes counted from 379 clustered precincts in the city, leaving behind Leonardia with 90, 136 votes.For the congressional race, incumbent Congressman Greg Gasataya, also of Team Asenso, initially garnered 154,999 votes against his rivals Dan Atayde who got 67, 726 votes.Other congressional aspirants, Willy David has 507 votes; Romy Gustilo – 608 votes; and Nonong San Miguel – 726 votes.Meanwhile, reelectionist Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran of Grupo Progreso (GP), a local coalition headed by Leonardia, was leading in the vice mayoralty race after obtaining 107, 959 votes.His rivals, former councilor Caesar Distrito of Team Asenso, has 86, 399 votes and Councilor Wilson Gamboa, who is running as an independent, has 26,767 votes.Based on the same partial and unofficial count, entering the top 12 councilors from Team Asenso were former vice mayor Jude Thaddy Sayson with initial votes of 112, 936 along with incumbent Councilor Al Espino who got 96, 470 votes; businessman Vladimir Gonzalez with 94,700; Barangay Sum-ag Sangguniang Kabataan chairman Jason Villarosa with 93, 455 votes; former Councilor Claudio Puentevella with 91, 131 votes; incumbent Councilor Simplicia Distrito with 89, 519 votes; former councilor Celia Flor with 86, 741 votes; and incumbent Councilor Paoline Sy with 82, 948 votes.Completing the list are GP members incumbent Councilors Israel Salanga with 103, 180 votes, Renecito Novero with 94, 639 votes, and Cindy Rojas with 102, 484 votes, and former councilor Em Ang with 97, 839 votesActing Bacolod City Election Officer Atty. Revo Sorbito said last night that they cannot yet give an exact time on when they can proclaim the winners.“For now, we are still waiting for more vote counting machines (VMCs) to be transmitted,” he said, adding that “about 80 percent of the votes were already transmitted as of 10:30 p.m. of May 9.”With 327, 603 registered voters, Bacolod City has a total of 450 clustered precincts and 45 voting centers.Sorbito disclosed that some of the local candidates already conceded and accepted the results of the elections.*