Noy stumps for Mar in LP show of force

MANILA, Philippines - It was a show of force and a declaration that they would prevail in the end.

Local officials belonging to the Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid filled the historic Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan yesterday in a show of force led by President Aquino to boost the candidacy of administration standard bearer Manuel Roxas II and his runningmate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo.

The meeting, held as the administration candidates languished in the latest surveys, was seen by some quarters as a loyalty check amid reports that LP members were defecting to the camps of stronger contenders.

LP stalwarts, however, denied it was a loyalty check, and expressed confidence that their candidates would win.

Roxas and Robredo were in high spirits as they cited what they described as a snowballing support for them across the country.

Roxas said he would win because he is not corrupt and does not act like a dictator.

Some of the governors and congressmen said during the event that surveys should not be the sole basis to determine possible winners in the elections as they vowed to deliver votes for the administration candidates.

In his speech, Aquino cited the danger of voters getting swayed by political advertisements and social media as well as the current trend in surveys.

“But the gist and maybe my most ardent appeal to everyone – we have come far in treading the straight path. We don’t know for certain that if we stray from Mar and Leni, those who will replace them will have the same principles,” Aquino told the crowd.

“We are not sure about the abilities, the experience and where they are coming from. Where is the focus? Are we going to bring back the focus on ourselves or the focus on others?”

The President said only Roxas and Robredo and the rest of Team Daang Matuwid could guarantee that all their efforts would not be reversed.

Dubbed “Tuloy-Tuloy, Sama-Sama” and held at the Cory C. Aquino Kalayaan Hall, Liberal Party (LP) stalwart Florencio Abad said the event gathered together supporters from other political parties and representatives of various sectors because “we have to move and work hard” given the tight presidential and vice presidential races.

“We do not want to go back to the streets and where we came from,” Abad, who is budget secretary, said.

The latest Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia surveys showed Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte leading the presidential derby, followed by Sen. Grace Poe, Vice President Jejomar Binay, Roxas and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

Meanwhile, Robredo also needs to give Sens. Francis Escudero and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. a good fight to win the vice presidency.

The President said there might really be those dreaming to make reforms permanent but would have the tendency to get tired.

Aquino said he could understand the frustrations along the way, citing his own pet projects in his own province that took so long to be implemented even if they would benefit the people.

He also recalled how officials like Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima were not given importance in the past when they would go abroad. But now, things have changed since the country became Asia’s rising economic tiger.

Roxas slams opponents

On a high note, Roxas predicted his win over his rivals in the coming elections as he took swipes at his opponents.

He said he would emerge victorious because he is not corrupt, he does not act like a dictator and he is a Filipino.

The LP standard bearer was apparently referring to Binay, who is facing corruption charges; Duterte, who allegedly advocates the summary execution of criminals; and Poe, who has just hurdled petitions before the Supreme Court to disqualify her from running for president over issues on citizenship and residency.

“My countrymen, my bosses: we are honorable, we are decent and we will truly win,” Roxas told his supporters.

Good track record

Roxas claimed that he is also the only presidential aspirant who has the track record to fulfill his promises.

“Despite our successes, some people will try to derail our reforms because the corrupt and the criminals know that if our countrymen are free from poverty, they can no longer be fooled or abused,” he said.

“It is easy to criticize. But let us examine the criticisms hurled at us. Isn’t it that they are saying those things because they cannot find solutions to the problems?” he asked.

The gathering of Roxas’ supporters in Club Filipino was held a few days after Duterte topped the pre-election surveys. It was also held after some of Roxas’ allies had jumped ship and pledged allegiance to other presidential candidates.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., LP campaign manager, however clarified that the event was not a loyalty check.

“Pampapalaks ng loob ito (It was meant to boost our morale),” Belmonte told reporters in an interview.

“I think the purpose of this gathering is for everybody to meet one another again and to reaffirm that we are all united here, that we are behind Mar,” he added.

Belmonte said he is confident that “at the end of the day, the Filipino people will choose the best person for the job.”

LP spokesman and Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice said the event was a “show of force” and a “victory march.”

“We have seen local governments benefit from the daang matuwid (straight path). They want it to continue,” he said.

Support from Misamis 

Meanwhile, local officials of the Misamis provinces are confident that they can deliver votes for Roxas and Robredo.

Misamis Oriental first district Rep. Peter Unabia told The STAR that 17 out of 25 towns and two cities in his province are behind LP because residents have benefited from the projects of the national government.

“According to mayors and barangay captains, they need to deliver 50 to 60 percent of the votes for Mar Roxas to win in our province. I thought it was too ambitious, but they said they can deliver the 50 percent because their support for LP is solid,” Unabia said in an interview on Wednesday. 

Unabia said there are 560,000 voters in Misamis Oriental.

Misamis Occidental second district Rep. Henry Oaminal said all political parties in his area have united to support the Roxas-Robredo tandem.

“There are three parties in my district. The governor’s party NUP (National Unity Party), my party NP (Nacionalista Party) and the Liberal Party. We are confident of delivering 70 percent of the votes cast in our district,” Oaminal said.  He said there are 192,000 voters in his district. Of the five towns in the district, only two mayors are supporting another presidential candidate.

Sumilao farmers back Leni

At least 100 farmers from Sumilao, Bukidnon will stage a 23-day cross-country caravan starting today to push for the vice presidential bid of Robredo.

Soc Banzuela of the Samahang Tsinelas yesterday said the Sumilao farmers decided to campaign for Robredo because they believe that the widow of former interior secretary and Naga City mayor Jesse Robredo’s platform focuses on the welfare of the poor.

“They will campaign for Leni because they are close to her, being their lawyer,” Banzuela said during a press briefing in Greenhills, San Juan.

The caravan will cover 3,750 kilometers and will start in San Vicente, Sumilao, Bukidnon today and pass through Cotabato, Davao, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Tacloban, Legaspi, Naga and Lucena. It will end at the Quezon Memorial Circle on May 7.

Before entering politics, Robrero worked as a human rights lawyer at the Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligal (Saligan), a non-government organization that provides free legal assistance to the marginalized, including the Sumilao farmers.

The farmers said Robredo warmly welcomed them when they held a caravan in Naga City in October 2007.

“Robredo was there when the Sumilao farmers marched and we learned that she organized the welcome and issuance of support from the city government,” Banzuela said. “The farmers cried tears of joy because in their province, the mayor and governor considered them as enemies, but in Naga City, they were welcomed by Robredo.”

‘Political machinery to deliver votes’

An LP leader yesterday said the administration’s political machinery will deliver at least an additional eight to 12 percent of the votes for Roxas and Robredo for a closely fought victory in the May 9 elections.

Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas, LP’s whip for the Visayas, said many things can still happen in 24 days and none of the candidates has the political machinery that Mar and Leni have.

“The surveys are also the basis on how a campaign will proceed, but they’re not the end-all and be-all of the elections. Besides, while Mar and Leni are behind in surveys, the margin is not insurmountable,” the lawmaker said. – With Alexis Romero, Paolo Romero, Non Alquitran