Monday, February 25, 2008
Palace denies setting up pro-Arroyo rally (5:15 p.m.)
MANILA -- Malacañang said it did not organize any pro-administration gathering, adding that the opposition is also guilty of paying its supporters to attend its rallies.
Deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez said it did not organize the pro-government rally at the Liwasang Bonifacio, which was attended by people from Metro Manila, the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, and Nueva Ecija in Central Luzon, and those in the Southern Tagalog region.
Golez said the gathering was organized by the "beneficiaries of the economic programs of the President who are expressing gratitude."
He also branded as "an old story already" the allegations of the opposition that the administration paid people P150 each to attend the rally at the Liwasan, adding that "the allegations come from the group who pays P300 to join their crowd."
Presidential Management Staff head Cerge Remonde admitted that the administration is also engaged in paying off those who attend its rallies as part of "mobilization cost."
"In every mass movement there’s mobilization cost involved. Let us call a spade a spade. That is being done both sides," Remonde said.
Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr., who led some congressmen in attending the Liwasan rally, said they were there to show that the President has the support of majority of the House of Representatives. (JMR/Sunnex) |
