Back Gibo, GMA orders allies

BY JEFFERSON ANTIPORDA Reporter
From The Manila Times
Link: http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/14721-back-gibo-gma-orders-allies

PRESIDENT Gloria Arroyo on Tuesday ordered all officials and members of Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) to campaign for the party’s standard-bearer Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro and make him win in the May 10 elections.

The order, given during a meeting of the executive committee of the administration party held at Linden Suites in Pasig City (Metro Manila), was seen to have disproved rumors about an allegedly secret alliance between President Arroyo and Sen. Manuel Villar Jr., the candidate for president of the Nacionalista Party.

It was possibly the first time that the President publicly declared her full support for Teodoro since the campaign period for national candidates began in February.

Mrs. Arroyo attended the closed-door meeting of the executive committee and stayed for at least 15 minutes.

Her “instruction was to campaign for Gibo, and make him win on May 10 and, of course, the candidate for vice president and the six senatorial candidates,” said Prospero “Butch” Pichay, the campaign manager for the administration’s senatorial bets.

Pichay appealed to the media to put an end to speculations about the “secret alliance.”

He cited Lakas-Kampi CMD remaining united behind and supportive of its candidates.

The ruling coalition’s chairman, Amelita Villarosa, dismissed reports that the party was financially troubled as indicated by the lack of campaign ads being aired on radio and television.

Villarosa explained that campaign ads should not be used as basis for measuring resources of Lakas-Kampi CMD because the administration party is giving more priority to local-campaign operations. 

She said that 70 percent of the country’s 75 provinces are being controlled by local officials of the ruling coalition and that it is in the 52 or so provinces where the party resources are being used.

Pichay denied reports about the alleged misappropriation of P90 million in campaign funds, saying that the amount was spent for campaign materials, media advertisements and other logistical requirements for the campaign.

“The P90 million was not supposed to be given to the candidates,” he pointed out.

‘Most deserving’

At least 50 governors belonging to Lakas-Kampi CMD also on Tuesday reaffirmed their support for the candidacy of the their standard-bearer and vowed to work even harder in campaigning for the party’s national candidates.

In a manifesto signed by the governors during a meeting held at the Discovery Suites in also in Pasig City, the governors assured that they will remain in the party and that they have not wavered in their support for the ruling coalition.

“We remained steadfast in our conviction that Gibo Teodoro is the most deserving among all the presidential candidates to lead the nation in the next six years. We have not wavered in our support and we resolve even more to work for his victory,” the manifesto said.

Gov. Joey Salceda of Albay was the one who called the meeting, a part of the “loyalty check” of the party and to clear several issues hounding Lakas-Kampi CMD in the wake of the recent decision of Teodoro to resign as party chairman.

Salceda, though, admitted that the “vicious attacks” on the administration candidate is causing confusion among governors belonging to the ruling party.

In October 2009, 51 governors allied with the administration signed a manifesto, urging Lakas-Kampi CMD to choose Teodoro as its official candidate for the race for president on May 10.

The same group signed another manifesto in March this year pledging their support for the candidacy of Teodoro, dispelling reports that a numbers of governors close to Mrs. Arroyo have decided to jump ship.

Local officials in various parts of the country also aired their support for the national candidates of the ruling party.

In Albay province, they showed up to express their support during the first campaign sortie of Teodoro and senatorial candidates Silvestre “Bebot” Bello 3rd, Rey Langit, Ramon Guico and Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. after the Holy Week lull.

The candidates were grandly welcomed by leaders of the province led by Salceda, Rep. Edcel Lagman, Mayor Noel Rosal of Legazpi City and Mayor Krisel Lagman Luistro of Tabaco City.

Gov. Sally Lee of Sorsogon motored to Albay to show support for the administration candidates.

Bello said that they expect a “good result” in Albay in the May 10 elections for the party’s national candidates because of the total support being given to them by majority of incumbent officials and influential politicians.

In Tabaco City, Lagman and Luistro endorsed the Lakas-Kampi CMD candidates during a rally at the plaza attended by thousands of people from various Albay towns.