Zubiri sings "Let Me Try Again"

DAUIS, BOHOL, Philippines  – Former senator Juan Miguel Zubiri of Bukidnon told audience in this centuries-old town, about five kilometers from Tagbilaran City, that his favorite classic song these days is: “Let Me Try Again.”

He told officials here, led by Mayor Jimmy Jimenez, that he now intends to throw his hat again in the Senate race next year.

He said he resigned as senator after his election with only a few thousand of votes ahead of 13th placer and now Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, also of Mindanao, Cagayan de Oro City because of what he called as “massive vote fraud” discovered in Maguindanao, the province of the Ampatuans.

He said if ever votes were counted it may not offset the votes garnered by Pimentel, who eventually replaced him from the 12th slot as senator of the remaining term.

Zubiri said he could not in conscience continue to serve as senator because of the fraud and out of delicadeza, adding that he valued his “credibility and integrity for public office, which is a public trust.”

The former senator was here to inaugurate several projects in three towns, particularly a police outpost here, which he earlier funded by his pork barrel during his term amounting to P500,000.

Early in the day, he inaugurated a steel foot bridge in Abucay Norte led by Barangay Captain Nelia Cabrera of Calape town and farm-to-market road at Brgy. Loreto in Cortes town—each of which cost P500,000.

Zubiri’s aide, former Calape mayor Ernest Herrera, said Zubiri will likely be lined up with Vice President Jejomar Binay but not necessarily be a part of the latter’s political party, the PDP-Laban. (FREEMAN)