5 out of 12 Team Pnoy senators in Liloan rally

ONLY five of 12 senatorial candidates of Team Pnoy showed up for yesterday’s proclamation rally in a public gym in barangay Tayud, Liloan town.

The rally mounted by the Liberal Party drew at least 3,000 people and was attended by Sen. Antonio Trillanes, Sen. Koko Pimentel, Bam Aquino, Ramong Magsaysay Jr. and Risa Hontiveros.

But all of them showed a united front amid reports of disintegration in the administration party’s Senate lineup.

Bam Aquino, cousin of the President, said the absence of some candidates “ is not an indication of something bad. It’s just how things are… Achieving a 100 percent attendance is difficult because we also have our own schedules.”

Aquino said each of the candidates had prior commitments even before the campaign period started on Feb. 12.

He said he would send his wife Timmy to the LP’s rally in Bacolod City tomorrow since he had a TV commercial to shoot.

What’s important, Aquino said, is the shared advocacy among their lineup to continue the President’s programs.

Aquino, a social entrepreneur, arrived first at the covered court along the highway. He wore his signature black-rimmed glasses and a yellow polo shirt.

He was accompanied by Provincial Board (PB) Member Miguel Magpale and shook hands with the crowd.

He presented his two platforms of governmnets – promotting more jobs for Filpinos and providing livelihood programs and businesses as the “answer to poverty.”

Former senator Magsaysay Jr. said it’s also important that LP candidates complement each other and help fellow candidates improve their ranking in their turfs.

Being a Visayan, Magsaysay said he ranked second in Cebu in the 2001 senate election.

Aquino is banking on his appeal to youth voters. Trillanes counts on the support of members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

In Tuesday’s proclamation rally in Talisay city, only six of the 12 LP senatorial candidates went on stage.The others sent proxies or were just absent, like Chiz Escudero.

In the Liloan rally, packed lunches for 3,000 persons were distributed after the event.

Tayud barangay captain, Oscarlito Cabahug said that they were asked by Jimmy Maglasang, LP’s mayoralty candida-te to prepare the meals.

Maglasang, who’s running against re-electionist Mayor Duke Frasco, said the packed lunches of sliced bread and pancit will be paid by the Liberal Party. He emphasized that no governmnet resources were used for the rally.

Liloan Comelec Election Officer Jezreel Almoguis said Comelec resolution 9616 prohibits candidates from providing vehicles, food, cash or any materials to people attending their rallies or activities since it would be considered vote-buying.

Maglasang, however, said the snacks were necessary.

“People are attending the rallies and they would starve so I’m feeding them using LP’s funds,” he said.

Candidate Mark Villar, who represented his mother Cynthia Villar, said he would continue to campaign for her to improve her 6th ranking in the surveys.

Senator Trillanes IV, who arrived with his Magdalo group, said he missed the first Talisay sortie becaue he was scheduled to appear in a TV interview which was cancelled at the last minute.

Trillanes said the 2013 election is shaping up as a media-centered campaign but that candidates still had to do traditional strategies like holding rallies.

Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III urged Liloan voters to oppose election cheating.Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac and Correspondent Jhunnex Napallacan