FPJ promises ‘show of force’ that will rock Malacañang

The miting de avance of Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino’s (KNP) standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr. in Makati City on Saturday will be a "massive show of force" that will "rock" Malacañang.

This was the announcement of Poe’s camp yesterday as they prepared for a "high-tech" rally to be broadcast live nationwide.

"We will deliver our powerful message to the country and Malacañang that the people have already decided that there should be change, now," Poe’s personal campaign manager, Sen. Vicente Sotto III, said. "We will rock Malacañang and they will see this miting de avance as the people’s manifestation that they want change."

Malacañang, however, remains unfazed. Presidential campaign spokesman Michael Defensor dismissed the threat saying the opposition has been constantly threatening and badmouthing President Arroyo.

While Mrs. Arroyo’s opponents would hold the traditional miting de avance on the last day of the campaign period, Defensor said the President is inclined to attend the "unity" Mass for the holding of clean, peaceful and orderly elections to be celebrated by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales at the San Agustin Church in Manila on Sunday.

Sotto said giant TV screens will be installed at the intersection of Paseo de Roxas and Ayala Avenue in Makati City where the rally will be held at 7 p.m. Significant portions of the miting de avance, he said, will be beamed live all over the country through broadcast networks, especially local cable companies "to allow Filipinos in remote areas to listen to Poe’s final appeal."

Sotto added that giant television networks are not expected to air much of the grand rally since "they are afraid of GMA." However, he did not elaborate.

As with the KNP’s kick-off rally last Feb. 10, the production will be handled by TAPE Inc., the same outfit producing the hit noontime show "Eat Bulaga."

There are rumors that independent presidential candidate Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who earlier hinted that he may scrap his own miting de avance, might briefly appear in Poe’s final grand rally as a last-minute effort to put up a united opposition. "It will be something big and of course there will be some surprises," KNP vice presidential candidate Sen. Loren Legarda admitted.

Lito Anzures, who sits in the KNP executive committee for PDP-Laban, disclosed that the miting de avance will also highlight each senatorial candidate’s qualifications and the coalition’s agenda for governance.

Meanwhile, Poe said yesterday he had changed his mind and agreed to attend the "unity" Mass on Sunday with Mrs. Arroyo and the three other presidential candidates.

"Yes, I will be joining on Sunday. I am going, I will be there," Poe told reporters as he campaigned in Manila’s Pandacan district, where thousands of fans lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the actor.

Poe’s camp had rejected the invitation Tuesday, saying he went to Mass every day and religious beliefs should not be dragged into politics.

Poe Apologizes To Reporters

Salvaging whatever is left of his strained relationship with the media, Poe also took the bitter pill and apologized to print journalists for his behavior in Pangasinan that triggered a walkout of reporters covering his campaign. "I’m sorry we had a misunderstanding. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. There are only a few days left. Gusto ko magkakasama tayong tapusin ito (I want us to finish this together)," a smiling Poe told The STAR after the KNP political rally in Urdaneta City on Tuesday night.

Poe explained that he was only "joking" when he rebuffed the reporters from The STAR, Manila Standard and Daily Tribune in a chance interview before his motorcade started in Alcala town. Even with the crowd of fans and supporters already gathering around him, Poe spoke for at least 10 minutes, telling his version of the incident.

Poe told reporters who missed a scheduled 7 a.m. interview with him that he left the hotel early as he decided to take a road trip from his hotel in Calasiao to Alcala for a change. "I’m tired of choppers, hotels and landing sites. I wanted to see something different," he said.

Asked yesterday if he was confident of becoming the country’s 14th president, Poe said: "I hope so." Asked if he had a message for Mrs. Arroyo, he said: "I wish her good health and may she always be happy." — With Marichu Villanueva, Nikko Dizon, AFP