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Monday, April 05, 2004
Facultad: I have KNP endorsement
* The vice mayor distributes copies of his "proclamation" signed by Sen. Edgardo Angara
* "It's not my decision but the KNP's. I did not push myself to become the official candidate," Facultad says
OPPOSITION mayoral candidates Councilor Ma. Rita Bascos-Sarabia and Vice Facultad are left to fight over the endorsement of the Koalisyong ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) following Friday night's sortie of KNP presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. in Iloilo City.
Sarabia told reporters she wants the KNP hierarchy to resolve the conflict between him and Facultad as she believes she is still the rightful mayoral candidate of the Poe camp.
"It has to be resolved. The KNP Manila does not know the truth," she said.
She was relegated to the background last Friday when KNP, through Sen. Vicente Sotto III, the coalition's campaign manager, endorsed Facultad and his partymates as KNP's official candidates in Iloilo City.
Although Poe did not personally raise the hands of either Sarabia or Facultad, observers believe the vice mayor is the "chosen one" as he was the one recognized by Sotto.
To prove his claim that he is KNP's standard-bearer in Iloilo City, Facultad furnished reporters Saturday copies of his certificate of proclamation signed by Sen. Edgardo Angara, chairman of the KNP executive committee.
It states that Facultad is "hereby proclaimed official candidate of the KNP for the position of city mayor of Iloilo City, in the province of Iloilo, in the May 10, 2004 national elections."
"It's been resolved. It's been confirmed by Senator Sotto," Facultad told Sun.Star of his endorsement. "It's not my decision but the KNP's. I did not push myself (to become the official candidate)."
He said that Sarabia is only the candidate of Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), a member of the KNP, while he is the official candidate of the KNP and the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC).
KNP is composed of NPC, LDP Angara wing, PDP-Laban and PMP.
"That, the people don't understand," Facultad said.
But Sarabia insisted she is still the official candidate of the Poe camp as she stood by the actor, she said, when everybody was still in doubt over his candidacy.
As early as late December, Sarabia was already considered Poe's candidate although it was PMP president Horacio Morales who proclaimed her candidacy.
"FPJ knows me. In recognition of my efforts, he did not raise anybody's hand last Friday," she said. "The Facultad factor is just a distraction."
On the other hand, Facultad said Poe had "already raised his hand" as shown in his streamer at the Freedom Grandstand where the KNP rally was held.
To avoid problems, Poe did not just do it again during the rally, he said.
Moreover, Facultad brushed aside Sarabia's claim that he is a "political butterfly," saying it is the candidates, including President Arroyo, Sen. Panfilo Lacson and former education secretary Raul Roco, who invited him to meet them. NLG
(April 5, 2004 issue)
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