By Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=568673&publicationSubCategoryId=63
MANILA, Philippines - Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro Jr. would pull a “come from behind victory” with the resurgence of support for him three weeks before the May 10 elections, party officials said yesterday.
Speaking to reporters, Ray Roquero, Lakas-Kampi secretary-general, said attacks against Teodoro, who continues to place fourth in surveys, have backfired.
“There is such a thing as a come from behind victory, and we can see the campaign being galvanized, the black propaganda being waged against us by the opposition seemed to have backfired and favored us,” he said.
“We have seen unheard-of groups now helping us in the provinces. All the sorties now of Gibo (Teodoro) are packed even if there are no artistas (stars) but they come and we are very happy about this development.”
Roquero said 30 governors and 12 gubernatorial candidates converged in Cebu on Tuesday to reaffirm their support for Teodoro.
“This (56) is not the figure that we thought would be still loyal for Gibo,” he said.
“So there are many positive developments and we feel that we are right, and we believe that we are going to win this election.”
Roquero said Filipino voters have realized that among the presidential candidates, only Teodoro has not resorted to mudslinging.
Presidential adviser for political affairs Prospero Pichay said the number of undecided voters has increased to about 15 percent and would likely vote for Teodoro.
“So they’re (undecided voters) looking for alternative candidates and I’m sure they will choose somebody who has been engaging a high-level campaign, did not engage in mudslinging, but what he (Teodoro) is just trying to do is present to them the program and platform of government if elected as president,” he said.
Pichay said the widely publicized defections from Lakas-Kampi were not as many as they had earlier expected.
“From the very beginning, we were expecting a 10 percent defection and but now it’s just two to three percent only,” he said.
“And considering the fact that we have 161 candidates for congressmen and congresswomen and then we have around 72 candidates for governors and, of course, a lot of mayors and city mayors – you can expect that there will be more defections but not big enough to be able to tilt the balance.”
Pichay also told Lakas-Kampi members planning to jump ship that they are free to go.
“We are a democratic party,” he said.
“We will not stop those who will decide to leave.”
Last Monday, Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona defected to the Nacionalista Party hours after joining130 other lawmakers in expressing their support for Teodoro during a Lakas-Kampi caucus at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati.
Madrona took his oath as an NP member, along with several mayors of Romblon. The congressman was chairman of the accounts committee when Villar was speaker.
Pichay hits Aquino
Pichay has criticized Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno Aquino III for warning of civil unrest in case he loses the elections.
“I think they are anticipating defeat rather than victory, that’s why they are preconditioning the minds of our people that when they lose, there was cheating,” he said.
“So, sad to say, I thought that they were anticipating victory. At the moment, I think if that is their plan that means they are anticipating their defeat.”
Meanwhile, Pichay said the Ampatuans endorsed the candidacy of Aquino because President Corazon Aquino named Andal Ampatuan Sr. town mayor in 1986. – With Jaime Laude
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=568673&publicationSubCategoryId=63
MANILA, Philippines - Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro Jr. would pull a “come from behind victory” with the resurgence of support for him three weeks before the May 10 elections, party officials said yesterday.
Speaking to reporters, Ray Roquero, Lakas-Kampi secretary-general, said attacks against Teodoro, who continues to place fourth in surveys, have backfired.
“There is such a thing as a come from behind victory, and we can see the campaign being galvanized, the black propaganda being waged against us by the opposition seemed to have backfired and favored us,” he said.
“We have seen unheard-of groups now helping us in the provinces. All the sorties now of Gibo (Teodoro) are packed even if there are no artistas (stars) but they come and we are very happy about this development.”
Roquero said 30 governors and 12 gubernatorial candidates converged in Cebu on Tuesday to reaffirm their support for Teodoro.
“This (56) is not the figure that we thought would be still loyal for Gibo,” he said.
“So there are many positive developments and we feel that we are right, and we believe that we are going to win this election.”
Roquero said Filipino voters have realized that among the presidential candidates, only Teodoro has not resorted to mudslinging.
Presidential adviser for political affairs Prospero Pichay said the number of undecided voters has increased to about 15 percent and would likely vote for Teodoro.
“So they’re (undecided voters) looking for alternative candidates and I’m sure they will choose somebody who has been engaging a high-level campaign, did not engage in mudslinging, but what he (Teodoro) is just trying to do is present to them the program and platform of government if elected as president,” he said.
Pichay said the widely publicized defections from Lakas-Kampi were not as many as they had earlier expected.
“From the very beginning, we were expecting a 10 percent defection and but now it’s just two to three percent only,” he said.
“And considering the fact that we have 161 candidates for congressmen and congresswomen and then we have around 72 candidates for governors and, of course, a lot of mayors and city mayors – you can expect that there will be more defections but not big enough to be able to tilt the balance.”
Pichay also told Lakas-Kampi members planning to jump ship that they are free to go.
“We are a democratic party,” he said.
“We will not stop those who will decide to leave.”
Last Monday, Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona defected to the Nacionalista Party hours after joining130 other lawmakers in expressing their support for Teodoro during a Lakas-Kampi caucus at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati.
Madrona took his oath as an NP member, along with several mayors of Romblon. The congressman was chairman of the accounts committee when Villar was speaker.
Pichay hits Aquino
Pichay has criticized Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno Aquino III for warning of civil unrest in case he loses the elections.
“I think they are anticipating defeat rather than victory, that’s why they are preconditioning the minds of our people that when they lose, there was cheating,” he said.
“So, sad to say, I thought that they were anticipating victory. At the moment, I think if that is their plan that means they are anticipating their defeat.”
Meanwhile, Pichay said the Ampatuans endorsed the candidacy of Aquino because President Corazon Aquino named Andal Ampatuan Sr. town mayor in 1986. – With Jaime Laude
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