Estrada not allowed to campaign in La Union

from The Manila Times

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/12377-estrada-not-allowed-to-campaign-in-la-union-


Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, was not allowed hold his campaign in La Union Friday the same day Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro is scheduled to visit the students of Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University. According to Rep. Victor Ortega of First District of La Union there was a request from the camp of Estrada if they could campaign in the same venue where Teodoro met the students, however, they decided to turn it down to prevent possible complications.

“We arranged for this meeting. They [Estrada’s camp] can come here any day, any other day, but not today. It could erupt into trouble,” Ortega said.

The lawmaker, however, made it clear that they are not barring Estrada to campaign, in fact, he said, Estrada and other candidates of the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) is welcome to campaign and he is willing to escort them but not on same day the administration party bet is holding his campaign.
The congressman added they practice democracy and accommodates anybody who wish to visit La Union, but they could not allow two different candidates to hold their campaign in the same venue and in the same day.

Northern Luzon alliance for Gibo
Meanwhile, majority of the lawmakers belonging to the Northern Luzon Alliance will be supporting Teodoro and other national candidates of the Lakas slate and will work to deliver majority of the region’s vote in favor of the administration party assured Ortega.

“Members of the Northern Luzon Alliance are meeting regularly and most of us are supporting him [Teodoro] in fact we also have other lawmakers outside the region who are also members of the alliance and are also for Gibo,” Ortega said.

Besides the Teodoro and entire Lakas-Kampi CMD candidates, Ortega said they will also be supporting other senatorial candidates from other parties including Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Pia Cayetano, Vicente Sotto 3rd and Juan Ponce Enrile among others.

Despite assurance of the support of the Northern Luzon lawmakers, Teodoro said that it is not a reason to be complacent and that he still believed that he and the party still have to work hard to earn the votes of the people.

“We have to work for each and every vote until the last day we have to really work . . .” he said in a separate interview.

Aquino wooes Arroyo bailiwick
In another development, Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd said his campaign for presidency is “heading on the right direction” as he wooed residents of Cebu City on Saturday.

Aquino was reacting to former Sen. John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña’s statement that his campaign is “mismanaged” causing the Liberal Party bet to slide down in his presidential rating.

“There’s an inherent difficulty when you have a bigger support base. We have so many groups joining, aligning with us and we were the last to declare our candidacy. So it really will take a little time to make everyone coalesce with each other,” Aquino said.

Aquino said surveys in Cebu, a known bailiwick of the Arroyo administration, also showed that they have a comfortable margin.

In the recent survey conducted by Taylor Nelson Sofres, Aquino regained the lead over his closest rival Nacionalista Party bet Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr.. The survey showed Aquino was chosen by 41.54 percent of 3,000 respondents while Villar was picked by 30.63 percent.

The LP standard-bearer was scheduled to lead the political rally in Cebu City sports center late Saturday.
Jefferson Antiporda And Cris G. Odronia