MANILA, Philippines?Evangelist turned presidential aspirant Eduardo ?Brother Eddie? Villanueva's camp protested the ?political discrimination? under the Arroyo administration after his request to hold his campaign kick-off rally at the Rizal Park (also known as Luneta) was denied.

His political party, Bangon Pilipinas, was preparing for a proclamation rally cum ?show of force? on Feb. 13 to be held on the Luneta grounds to accommodate the expected massive number of supporters.

But the National Parks Development Committee, an agency under the Department of Tourism in charge of Luneta Park, turned down Bangon Pilipinas' request, saying the park should not be used for ?politically related rallies.?

?In line with our thrust of maintaining security and the safety of the public, we regret to inform you we don't allow politically related rallies here in Luneta Park,? executive director Salome Habal wrote Bangon Pilipinas on Feb. 4.

But ironically when Bangon Pilipinas made another request for the use of Luneta Park on Feb. 9?the official start of the national campaign period?this time saying it would be for a ?patriotic rally? where they would unfurl the biggest Philippine flag made on record, the parks committee agreed.

The flag-unfurling activity pushed through Tuesday morning, led by Villanueva and his running mate Perfecto Yasay Jr. and their seven senatorial candidates. As expected, it turned into a campaign kick-off rally.

?We would have wanted to hold a proclamation rally on Feb. 13 but it was canceled. The (Luneta Park) staff said ?Nagalit si Ma'm, baka maging political rally (Ma'm got angry because it might become a political rally),? Villanueva said in a news conference afterwards.

?But of course it's a political gathering. Why do they have to prevent the use of Luneta Park? Are they afraid to see that we can fill Luneta Park and disprove what the (pre-election) surveys say?? he went on.

Villanueva, who is running for president the second time, has been in the tail-end of pre-election surveys in a field of 10 official presidential candidates.

Yasay said they would question the constitutionality of Luneta Park's policy against political rallies.

?(Luneta Park) has been used before in political rallies. We feel very strongly this is a political discrimination meant to prevent our party from showing its strength in winning the elections,? he said.