President Benigno Aquino III (center) leads the proclamation rally of Team PNoy at the historic Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, Manila. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA
DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Team PNoy for the first time gathered a majority of its senatorial bets in a campaign sortie here since its proclamation rally in Manila last February 12.
Nine candidates showed up in a rally held at the Rizal Park here Wednesday night attended by no less than President Benigno Aquino III.
The nine were re-electionist Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Loren Legarda, and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, former Senators Ramon Magsaysay Jr. and Jamby Madrigal, Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara, former Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros, former MTRCB chairperson Grace Poe, and presidential cousin Bam Aquino.
The only candidates absent were re-electionist Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV, and former Las Piñas Representative Cynthia Villar.
The candidates though came one by one as some candidates as well as the President had to travel some three hours from another sortie in General Santos City.
The only time that all 12 senatorial candidates of Team PNoy showed up together was during the February proclamation held at the Plaza Miranda in Quiapo.
“Dalangin namin na sana sa pamamagitan ng pagkakahalal ng bawat isa sa amin sa Team PNoy ay tunay na mailahad at maipagpatuloy ang tunay na pagbabago na sinimulan ni Pangulong Aquino mula nang siya ay maluklok sa pwesto noong 2010,” Escudero told the crowd here.
For the first time also, Hontiveros sang at a political rally when she was requested by the emcee of the sortie here to do a number while waiting for the arrival of the President.
“Alam ninyo, magpinsang buo kami ni Leah so alam niya iyong mga hilig naming gawin pag may mga family reunion at isa na talaga yung pagkanta,” she told the crowd, referring to the emcee, Leah Navarro.
“Pero promise, ngayon lang ito nangyari,” she said.
Hontiveros then did her own rendition of the Joey Albert’s “Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin.”
At around 6:45pm, the President arrived with Interior Secretary Mar Roxas. Senator Franklin Drilon, campaign manager of Team PNoy, and other local officials also attended the rally.
Aquino endorsed the candidates one by one, explaining to the audience why they should vote all the candidates of his team.
And in endorsing his cousin, Bam, the President jested about the present condition of his lovelife.
“Kapag may nagtatanong po lalo sa inyo kung anak ko siya, susmaryosep, wala na ngang lovelife, may anak pa. Mas malaki pa sa akin, hindi rin po tama iyon. Pinsan ko po siya,” Aquino said.
The President, meanwhile, described Escudero as a man with a big “heart” for the Filipino people, an apparent reference to the senator’s girlfriend, actress Heart Evangelista.