Otso Diretso bets visit Archbishop Ledesma

Archbishop Antonio Ledesma (center) receives two opposition senatorial candidates on his 76th birthday at his residence on Thursday evening. Visiting Ledesma are Samira Gutoc (right) and Erin Tañada (left). JIGGER J. JERUSALEM

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Some members of the opposition team “Otso Diretso” paid Archbishop Antonio Ledesma a visit on his 76th birthday celebration at his residence on Thursday night, March 28.

Senatorial candidates Samira Gutoc and Erin Tañada and the representatives of Sen. Bam Aquino and Chel Diokno came to join the Archbishop’s celebration after their townhall meeting in Marawi City and Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte.

During an interview on the sidelines of the archbishop’s birthday party, Tañada said he was thankful that a group of Roman Catholic laypersons and evangelical and protestant church leaders, who organized themselves as the People’s Choice Movement (PCM), had endorsed the Otso Diretso candidates on Wednesday.

Also on the PCM list are Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, Aquino, Diokno, Makabayan senatorial aspirant Neri Colmenares, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, incumbent Sen. Grace Poe, and former senator Mar Roxas.

“I’d like to thank the PCM because we all know that Christian faiths when they come together, they comprise a big number of votes,” Tañada said.

“If they (PCM) fulfill what they promised they would do to campaign, it would be a big help for Otso Diretso,” he added.

Gutoc said she was “very humbled” by the endorsement.

“It (PCM endorsement) just validates Otso Diretso and what we stand for despite all odds. There are times that local government units don’t welcome us,” she said.

“Maybe we don’t need the ‘command vote.’ We just need the command of the people, the command of the Catholic church, the command of the faith communities. That’s what we need,” Gutoc added.

In a separate interview, Ledesma said he would personally endorse the candidates backed by the PCM.

“Personally, I would support the PCM list, but not as an institutional leader of the church but as a voter, a Filipino citizen. I agree that these are good choices,” he said.