BACOLOD CITY: Three residents of Bacolod City have filed a petition with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) opposing the transfer of voter registration of former Third District representative and current capitol consultant Alfredo 'Albee' Benitez. The petition was filed on July 13, 2021 by Hector Yula, Teodoro Abao and Jonah Abao, all of Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City, claimed Benitez is not a resident of the city. But in a news conference on Wednesday, lawyers Jose Jireh Alimon and Marcus Aurelian Vaflor argued under the election law, 'residency is the same as the domicile and we have proof he has lost his former domicile. Benitez is not domiciliary of Bacolod City.' The Election Registration Board has set a hearing on the petition on July 19. Vaflor said aside from Benitez, they also filed the same opposition against 220 applicant voters who allegedly came from other cities and municipalities on the ground they are not residents of Bacolod City. In a statement, Benitez said, 'The opposition against the transfer of my voter registration to Bacolod City filed before the Comelec on July 13 is to be expected. Those moves will not prosper as all requirements of the law have been fully complied [with].' Lawyer Katherina Caña, city election officer, said Benitez will be given the opportunity to answer the petition and submit evidence to prove he is a resident of Bacolod. Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer came to the defense of Benitez. 'Let the people of Bacolod City decide,' Ferrer told The Manila Times. He is considered one of the vocal supporters of Benitez's bid for mayorship of the capital city of the province.