UNA to hold rally alongside LP in Baguio amid claims of ‘harassment’

PAMPANGA, Philippines – The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) is bent on giving the Liberal Party-led coalition some tough competition in Baguio City on Sunday despite claims of “harassment”.

Vice President Jejomar Binay said no form of harassments on their allies in the Summer Capital’s local government would stop them from endorsing their candidates.

Former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri told reporters in a separate interview on Saturday that some of the local leaders in Baguio City were being told to postpone UNA’s sortie.

“Hinaharass po sila na huwag isabay at ako’y natutuwa that they held their ground [They are being harassed not to hold it simultaneously],” he said.

UNA and Team PNoy are both scheduled to woo Baguio City residents on Sunday – their rallies coinciding with the Philippine Military Academy’s (PMA) graduation.

President Benigno Aquino III and Binay are set to attend the PMA graduation.

Despite harassments on local officials, Binay, one of the leaders of UNA, stressed that the party would push through with its sortie since they were able to secure a rally permit.

Citing the large turnout in their past campaign rallies, the vice president was also confident that they would be able to attract more people to their sortie in Baguio City.

He said UNA supporters usually came in thousands and that they have never been disappointed with the number of people they have drawn into their rallies.

And unlike their sortie in Candaba on Saturday which was attended only by four UNA candidates, Zubiri said he was positive the entire senatorial slate would be present in Baguio City.