Ping urges GMA: Don’t tear down my posters

CARDONA, Rizal — Opposition presidential hopeful Sen. Panfilo Lacson is appealing to his administration rival, President Arroyo, not to tear down his streamers, posters and other campaign materials.

Lacson made the appeal after receiving reports that his campaign materials were torn down yesterday morning hours before Mrs. Arroyo was to visit Imus in Cavite, his hometown.

"Bago pumunta ang Pangulo sa bayan at probinsiya namin, pinagtatanggal ng advance team niya yung mga streamer at poster namin ni Congressman Caloy (Carlos) Padilla," he told journalists covering his campaign.

Padilla is Lacson’s lone senatorial candidate. The two motored here yesterday to attend the town fiesta as guests of Mayor Gil San Juan and born-again charismatic leader Efren Perez, called "bishop" by his flock.

In talks with reporters, Padilla revealed that his informants were able to retrieve two computer diskettes that were left behind by former archivist Ricardo Manapat and which contain copies of forged documents showing that movie actor Fernando Poe Jr. is an American citizen, while Lacson is a Chinese.

"Apparently, the plan is to eliminate the entire opposition to Mrs. Arroyo. FPJ would be disqualified first and Lacson later," Padilla said.

Asked to assess his first week of campaign, Lacson said, "So far, so good. Everything is going well."

"We are heartened by the warm reception and the outpouring of support we saw in the places I and Caloy Padilla visited this week. It strengthened our resolve to go on," he said.

He has only one complaint: "Nangitim na ako (My skin has darkened)." The campaign has so far brought his team to Cavite, the Davao and Cotabato provinces, and to Rizal yesterday.

In denouncing the alleged harassment from Mrs. Arroyo’s camp, Lacson said two days before the President was to visit Imus, "they removed my town mayor who, fortunately, was told to hold on by the Commission on Elections."

He was referring to Homer Sakilayan, who was unseated by a Cavite court.

He said many of his Cavite leaders are also being harassed by soldiers.

Lacson said he would file a complaint with the Comelec and let the people judge what kind of an administration opponent he has.

"Yung unwanted display of power na ganoon, makikita ng taong bayan.

Mahahalata nila kung anong klaseng lider meron tayo," he said.

He recalled that in Baguio City where he and the President attended the alumni homecoming of graduates of the Philippine Military Academy, Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan, PMA superintendent, failed to acknowledge him among the academy’s guests.

"Initially, I believed that it was an inadvertent omission. But my fellow PMA graduates have been telling me that it was not, that it was deliberate. For how could General Adan have missed me since everybody knew I was there along with members of Class ’71, to which I belong," he said.

In the wake of reports that his and the party standard-bearer’s streamers and posters in Cavite were torn down, Padilla said Mrs. Arroyo is not sticking to her promise to conduct the election campaign on a higher plane.

"As usual, she says one thing and does another. It’s trademark GMA double talk," he said.

Among Lacson’s supporters who accompanied him here are Representatives Gilbert Remulla of Cavite’s second district and Agapito Aquino of Makati.

Remulla, whose district includes Imus, said "if Mrs. Arroyo thinks she can beat Lacson in Cavite, she would be in for a big disappointment."

"Cavite is Lacson country. My province will surely manifest its overwhelming support for its son and pride, who is aspiring to be president," he said.

Lacson also said he would advise his opposition rival Poe to abide by any decision of the Supreme Court for as long as it is clear that an adverse ruling has not been sponsored by the administration.

"We cannot afford civil unrest. Masyado na tayong bagsak. All of us will be losers in case of chaos," he said.

However, he pointed out that if it is clearly shown that a Poe disqualification is the handiwork of the administration, he would join protests against such a decision.