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Monday, February 16, 2004
Lacson supporters storm, disrupt Arroyo rally
BACOOR -- Close to 50 supporters of presidential candidate Panfilo Lacson on Sunday stormed a campaign rally by President Arroyo in this town in Cavite.
Arroyo was at the Aguinaldo Shrine where she offered flowers and addressed a small audience when Lacson's supporters, who had placards and streamers, arrived and started chanting "Ping Lacson" to the surprise and irritation of some administration supporters and event organizers.
Chief Supt. Alfredo de Castro, chief of the Kawit police, asked the group to leave and respect the President, but the protesters said they were merely exercising their freedom of expression.
Margie Lagak of Imus, who was with the group, said they saw nothing wrong with their activity, adding they were merely following the example shown by Arroyo's supporters who held their own campaign in an area visited by Lacson last week.
Lacson's supporters added they are supporting the former police chief turned senator, who they said should be the next Caviteņo president after Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the country.
Tension brewed as Lacson's supporters refused to leave and some Arroyo supporters accused them of being "dayos" (paid supporters), which they denied.
The President waited for about 20 minutes to ensure that the group had really left before proceeding to her next engagement at the White Rock, the house of administration senatorial bet Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., skipping her mall and market tour in Bacoor and Imus.
A similar group greeted Arroyo when she passed by Barangay Bayang Luma in Imus and Kadiwa in Dasamariņas. The senator's supporters waived streamers with the inscription "Ping Lacson for President - Vote Wisely - Peace and order is the solution."
In other areas that Arroyo passed by, the passersby met her with a "One" sign and a closed-fist sign while others chanted "Lacson Kami (We are for Lacson)" or "FPJ Kami" (We are for Fernando Poe Jr.).
Presidential political spokesman Michael Defensor said one of those groups supporting Lacson was "planted," referring to the children waving the Lacson streamers in a market in Silang as Arroyo passed by. The others may be legitimate supporters who came from Lacson's hometown, he added.
Defensor admitted that Lacson is the "man to beat" in Cavite but they are hoping that his would soon realize their candidate is "not winnable" and eventually shift their support to Arroyo.
He said they expect Arroyo to land second in Cavite if the President fails to persuade pro-Lacson groups to shift allegiance to her.
Arroyo, during a mini rally at the Web Gym, asked residents supportive of Revilla not to forget her and the rest of the administration candidates. Arroyo was joined by her senatorial candidates, except for former Trade secretary Manuel Roxas II.
The audience said they are for Arroyo and most of the administration's candidates for senators, but some said in private they are not in favor of former senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, whom they described as "maligalig" (eccentric) and former governor Parouk Hussin of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) for being a "total stranger."
Former senator Defensor, during her speech at the mini-rally, urged voters to carefully consider their choices, stressing that governance is not entertainment where there is a director guiding every scene.
From the mini rally, Arroyo joined the motorcade of Revilla. She motored to Bulihan in Silang, Paliparan, Victoria Reyes, Area C, Kadiwa, Congressional, Aguinaldo, and Sabang in Dasmariņas, Malagasang, Bukandala, Poblacion and Bayan Luma in Imus.
Arroyo also paid a courtesy call on Bishop Chito Tagle at the Imus Cathedral before proceeding to the Aguinaldo Shrine where she boasts of her Caviteņa heritage, on her great grandmother Escolastica Romero-Macapagal's side. JMR
(February 16, 2004 issue)
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