http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100216-253564/Madrigal-to-make-amends-with-Judy-Ann
MANILA, Philippines—Calling herself and popular actress Judy Ann Santos "victims of politics and politicians," Sen. Maria Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal said on Tuesday she did not mean to offend the actress when she said she regretted tapping a celebrity as an endorser when she first run for the Senate in 2004.
Santos was Madrigal’s top celebrity endorser in 2004.
Madrigal blamed the camp of Sen. Manuel "Manny" Villar for pitting her against her celebrity endorser during the 2004 senatorial polls.
Madrigal assailed the Nacionalista Party standard-bearer's public relations group for allegedly twisting what she said about celebrity endorsers during a recent Philippine Daily Inquirer presidential debate at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City.
In a forum at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila in Intramuros, Manila, the independent presidential candidate said she was "sad.”
“I’m sad that my response in the debate (about celebrity endorsers) was used and twisted by my enemies in politics). I'm sad that Juday (Santos' nickname) got hurt...I'm sad the issue was used by them just to hurt Juday," said Madrigal.
In the Inquirer debate, questions turned to big ad spending by presidential candidates and the use of celebrity endorsers to boost their campaign. When Madrigal was asked about her take on the issue, the senator said she had "realized the folly of my ways" in tapping a movie actress to create a connection with the voting masses in 2004. She did not mention Judy Ann Santos but the actress was her chief endorser in 2004.
Madrigal told students of the Manila city-run university she had "no conflict" with Santos, whom she described as "one of my favorite actresses" during an earlier interview with this paper.
Madrigal said she would go out of her way to be able to explain her side to Santos, whom she called "one of my favorite actresses" during an earlier interview with this reporter.
"I hope we’ll get to understand each other. And wherever she is, I will talk to her. Everything can be resolved if the person is sincere and she knows I’m sincere. I will never say anything bad about Juday," she said.
Madrigal noted she had "repeatedly acknowledged and thanked Juday for her help" in boosting her popularity in the 2004 elections.
"When I announced my presidential bid (on July 31), she was one of the people I thanked," along with members of her family and the late presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. and his wife, actress Susan Roces, she recalled.
Santos said in a recent TV interview she was not happy about Madrigal's recent pronouncements belittling celebrity endorsers of politicians as an insult to the intelligence of voters.
Madrigal earlier said she was "not considering" asking for Santos' endorsement again.
Apparently referring to Villar, Madrigal blamed her "biggest political rival who is a billionaire, and who has a (political) machinery" for allegedly blowing the issue out of proportion.
"Magaling maglihis 'yon ng story (He knows how to deflect and distract people from issues)," she said.
During the same forum, Madrigal slammed Villar for allegedly making a "circus" out of the recent El Shaddai gathering in Hong Kong where Bro. Mike Velarde, leader of the religious group, indicated he was backing Villar's presidential bid.
"Although I welcome the endorsement of religious groups, let us not cheapen their worth by having a circus in publicizing the endorsement. It should be a serious endorsement based in principles, not on sheer vested interests," said Madrigal.
She pointed out "it's a free country and (Velarde) can endorse who he wants."
"If we look at the background of the two, it appears that Villar and Bro. Mike are longtime business partners," the senator noted.
According to Madrigal, if a religious group decides to endorse her both parties should have had good discussions at not a circus, like what happened in Hong Kong.
Still referring to Villar, she said the NP candidate was "just using the religious group as endorser."
Madrigal wondered why Villar, whom she said had a "100 percent awareness" among the public, still needed endorsements from religious group and celebrities.
"He already has because he was a Senate president, so there's no need to introduce himself. All he needs is to introduce his platform...Di ba siya mahal ng taong-bayan (Isn’t he loved by the masses)?" she said.
So far, Villar got actor-comedians Dolphy and Michael V, singer Sarah Geronimo, and controversial TV host Willie Revillame as his campaign endorsers
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