LP may ax Cebu City rally

Liberal Party gubernatorial candidate Hilario Davide III last night said the LP rally planned in Cebu City may not push through because of President Aquino’s hectic schedule.

Davide, in a text message to Cebu Daily News said as of yesterday only two two LP rallies have been scheduled in Cebu – Talisay City on Feb. 19 and at the Tayud Sports Compex in Consolacion town on Feb. 20.

“The tight schedule of the President and the senatorial candidates may not allow them to hold another rally in Cebu City,” he said.

He said the President will only be attending the Talisay City rally.

Meanwhile, two administration coalition senatorial candidates were in Cebu City yesterday ahead of next week’s sorties in the province.

Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV – President Aquino’s cousin – had breakfast with Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes and his barangay leaders then met with Cebu City urban poor groups before addressing members of the Cebu City Federation of PTA Inc which marked their 15th anniversary yesterday.

Another administration senatorial candidate, Cynthia Villar was with Aquino duuring the PTA event. Before that, Villar was also with the Radazas of Lapu Lapu City.

Both will be back in Cebu next week for the LP sortie here.

Aquino said the pre-campaign season was a battle of campaign jingles and advertisements for name recall. He said that the campaign season is bringing campaigning to another level, which is now the presentation of their platforms.

“I know Cebuanos are smart voters and they will look at records,” said Aquino who admitted that the 2.5 million Cebuano voters is something that LP candidates would also want to win over.

Villar shares Aquino’s desire to win the Cebuanos’ support.

“Cebu is one of the biggest provinces, thickly populated so its important to us,” she said.

Aquino said that the LP Cebu sortie may not be able to match the crowd of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) Cebu proclamation rally, but they intend to have their campaign platforms get across the Cebuanos through different media.

“Hindi naman ito labanan ng paramihan ng tao,” he said.