ENDGAME TABLEAU Sen. Loren Legarda makes a face as she refers to recent political attacks against her during the Liberal Party “miting de avance” held at Amoranto Stadium in Quezon City on Friday. Behind her are (from left) Team PNoy candidates Sen. Alan Cayetano, former Sen. Jamby Madrigal and former Rep. Cynthia Villar. LYN RILLON
A quick handshake was all reelectionist Sen. Loren Legarda had for colleague Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano when she greeted fellow Team PNoy candidates when she arrived for the coalition slate’s miting de avance early Friday night.
Legarda gave other administration bets and coalition officials a pat on the back and a buss on the cheek when she greeted each of them after she arrived last among the senatorial candidates.
Still, the Team PNoy campaign manager Sen. Franklin Drilon, said all’s well between Cayetano and Legarda.
“I talked to both of them and they told me that they will remain supportive of Team PNoy until the very last day,” Drilon told reporters in an interview at the sidelines of the last slate rally of the coalition.
Cayetano and Legarda have been reported to be at odds with each other after news accounts linked Cayetano to an alleged smear campaign against Legarda.
Legarda was recently charged before the Ombudsman for her alleged nondisclosure until 2012 of a pricey New York property that she supposedly bought in 2006.
“I hope we would all help each other in the midst of conflict… sometimes intrigue and mudslinging,” Legarda said in her speech with her voice cracking.
“We should set this all aside because this can’t be eaten by the poor,” she added.
Legarda, nonetheless, endorsed the candidacies of all Team PNoy bets including Cayetano as she asked voters to vote for all of them before quickly going through all their names in alphabetical order.
Legarda was the last to speak among the candidates.
“(Let) us all help each other convince others to vote 12-0,” was as far as Cayetano went in pushing for Legarda’s candidacy as well when it was his turn to speak.
Cayetano, for several times, called on the electorate to vote for all 12 candidates of President Aquino.
Cayetano said the “tuwid na daan” or good governance program of President Aquino was the way to go for Filipino families to feel the effects of a stronger economy.
“You know me, what’s right is right; what’s wrong is wrong,” Cayetano said.
Sen. Pia Cayetano, Alan’s sister, in an event earlier Friday denied that her brother would have anything to do with the black propaganda against Legarda.